Eleanor O’Brien: Actress – Báite

Eleanor O’Brien is an award-winning actress and writer. She recently starred as Peggy in Báite (TG4), and appears in Lynley (BBC), Disenchanted (Disney), The Wonder, and The Last Right with Colm Meaney and Brian Cox. She has led two seasons of Blasts From The Past (RTÉ). Her short film Honey Butter screened at the Richard Harris Film Festival. Eleanor is recognised for her nuanced performances, and contributions to a positive set environment.

Diarmuid Noyes: Actor – Christy & Purebred 

Diarmuid Noyes is an IFTA-nominated actor with a film, television, and theatre background. His credits include Christy, Double Blind, Good Vibrations, Honeymoon for One, Roadkill, Killing Bono, Parked, Five Minutes of Heaven, Savage, Situations Vacant, The Gone, Scary Tales of New York, Blood I/II, Borgia I/II/III, and The Tudors.

Jessica Reynolds: Actress – The Wolf, the Fox & the Leopard

Jessica Reynolds made her debut in the title role in The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw for director Thomas Robert Lee, and starred in new comedy-drama My Left Nut (BBC). Other notable credits include ‘Malva Christie’ in Outlander, the latest season of the comedy-hit Derry Girls, Lifehack, and Rich Peppiat’s Kneecap, alongside Michael Fassbender, which premiered at Sundance, and earned her a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the 2025 Irish Film and Television Awards

Edwin Mullane & Adam O’Keeffe: Directors – Horseshoe

Edwin Mullane, a Sligo-based director and producer, transitioned from extensive theatre work to film and TV, crafting award-winning shorts marked by a personal and intimate style. Horseshoe is his debut feature, co-directed with Adam O’Keeffe. 

After a series of successful short films, Adam O’Keeffe made the leap to features with his debut Horseshoe as writer and co-director with Edwin Mullane. He also recently received a Perspectives Award from Screen Ireland.

Laura Seward: Cinematographer – Sapphire

Laura Seward is an Irish director of photography, based between London and Dublin. She’s a member of Illuminatrix Rising, BAFTA Connect, the ICFC, and Women Behind the Camera. Before pursuing filmmaking, Laura worked in action sports and was a certified ski instructor. In 2015, she attended the London Film School, specialising in cinematography. She now works in narrative, fashion, documentary, and commercials, and has had her work featured in film festivals worldwide.

Josh O’Caoimh: Animator – Mary Coughlan & Is That All There Is?

Josh O’Caoimh is an Irish animation filmmaker. His work blends traditional and digital media to craft vibrant and distinctive animated worlds for films, commercials, and music videos. His previous work has received a world premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, qualified for the 2023 Academy Awards, and won an IFTA.

Megan Nic Fhionnghaile: Actress – Trad

Megan Nic Fhionnghaile is a fiddle player from Gaoth Dobhair in the Donegal Gaeltacht. She is a graduate of Irish Music at the University of Limerick, and is a former Ulster champion in senior fiddle. She has toured the UK, Europe, the USA, and Australia with shows such as Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance and A Taste of Ireland. Trad is her first acting role.

Ciarán Charles O’Conghaile: Producer – WASHhh & Babaí Brain

Ciarán Charles O’Conghaile is a producer and co-founder of Fíbín Films, based in Galway and Cushendall. He produced Crá, a mystery drama series that has sold to 68 countries – the first Irish-language programme to get a BBC Network slot.  WAShhh, a Malaysian-Irish co-production and Babaí Brain both premiere at the Fleadh.

Olivia McLaughlin: Writer/Director – Parting

Olivia McLaughlin is an Irish writer and director. Over the past five years, she has built extensive experience producing commercial and broadcast work before transitioning to focus on directing. A Virgin Media Discovers Top 10 Finalist in 2022, she recently won the GALPAL Collective ‘Directed by Her’ Music Video Audience Award and joined the esteemed Shiny Creators list. Her directing projects span music videos to commercials, with her debut short film Parting premiering at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh.

Eamonn Murphy: Director – Solitary

Eamonn Murphy is a writer/director based in Dublin, Ireland. His work often focuses on character-driven narratives, with a strong emphasis on performance, mood, and emotional truth. His previous short films, Lost Memories and A Better You, are available to watch on Disney+. Solitary, is his debut feature film.