France-In-Focus at Galway Film Fleadh & Fair: Spotlight on French Screen Industry and Irish Co-Production Opportunities

Galway, Ireland – France will be the country-in-focus for the 2025 Galway Film Fleadh & Fair, the industry market of the Galway Film Fleadh.

Through a curated programme of film premieres, immersive experiences, and industry events, France-In-Focus will highlight the innovation and diversity of French cinema and creative talent across the French screen industry and aims to foster new collaborations between France and Ireland. France-In-Focus is presented in association with the French Embassy in Ireland, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, and the Centre National du Cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC), with the support of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Institut français as part of France’s strategy for the international export of cultural and creative industries.

Six French and six Irish producers have been selected to take part in the industry event, for a series of peer meetings, networking events, and collaborative sessions designed to foster creative and commercial ties between Irish and French filmmakers. Running alongside the market, the festival will host the Irish premieres of five new acclaimed films from France. Organised with Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, the CNC, and the French Embassy in Ireland, France-In-Focus aims to build on the momentum of the 2022 Agreement on Cinematographic Co-Production between the Irish and French governments.

Among the participating French producers are:

David Thion – producer of two Palme d’Or winning films in the past three years; Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident which took the Cannes prize this past May, and the 2023 arthouse sensation Anatomy of a Fall, which was nominated for Best Picture at the 2024 Academy Awards.

Marie-Ange Luciani – producer of Anatomy of a Fall,120 BPM, and Red Island, her latest film Enzo debuted in Directors’ Fortnight at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Marine Mary – With a wide range of films from different genres, Mary has an impressive filmography including films such as Johnny, Cuba, Keepers of the Mangrove, and Shark Tanks of Dubai.

Alexis Perrin – Known for outstanding dramatic works such as Coralie Fargeat’s debut feature Revenge, Blood Machines, Cities of Lost Things, and Saloum.

Maud Berbille – Known for films such as Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle, which was an official selection of the 2021 Festival de Cannes. Berbille has also produced films such as The Assistant, The Starry Sky Above Me, and Min Fantastiske Fremmede.

Xènia Maingot – Known for films such as When the Light Breaks, which was an official selection in the 2024 Festival de Cannes. Maingot is also known for films such as More Than Ever, EAMI, and Dogville.

The France-In-Focus programme highlights French Creative talent across the breadth of the French Screen Industry, including film, immersive and gaming programmes while connecting professionals and encouraging new collaborations.

Frank Meijer, game scout at Focus Entertainment, will join the Pitching for Games workshop in partnership with Ardán, where Irish developers present projects to international publishers.

French-produced VR experiences Emperor by Marion Burger & Ilan J. Cohen, a deeply personal virtual reality journey into the mind of a father living with aphasia; and Impulse: Playing with Reality, a revolutionary, playful mixed-reality experience that aims to show the world as seen by people with ADHD, will feature in the Fleadh’s Immersive programme.

Director Koya Kamura will present the Irish premiere of his debut feature Winter in Sokcho. Set in a small seaside village in South Korea, the film follows Soo-Ha, whose quiet life is disrupted by the arrival of a French guest that awakens questions about her own identity, and that of her French father. World Premiere at TIFF 2025.

Additional film premieres from France include Reine Mère by Manele Labidi, Que ma volonté soit faite by Julia Kowalski, L’Attachement by Carine Tardieu, and Welded Together by Anastasiya Miroshnichenko — a powerful line-up of films directed by women. These premieres will offer audiences a first look at the diverse and compelling voices shaping contemporary French cinema, placing women’s perspectives at the heart of this year’s France in Focus programme. Women are central in the overall programme, with a strong presence among both the selected producers and filmmakers.

French Ambassador to Ireland Céline Place said about the initiative, “We are proud to present France-In-Focus at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh & Fair to provide a platform to connect Irish and French talents at a key event in the Irish film industry, fostering new artistic and professional collaborations while showcasing the richness of contemporary French cinema and creative industries. Through film premieres, immersive experiences, and industry events, this initiative reflects our commitment to cultural innovation and to strengthening cooperation between France and Ireland. I am especially proud that women’s voices and leadership are at the heart of this programme, across both creative and production roles.”

Director of Galway Film Fair, William Fitzgerald said, “The Agreement on Cinematographic Co-Production was a terrific first step towards increased co-production between Ireland and France. We hope these focused meetings at the Galway Film Fair will yield further exciting opportunities and new relationships that will bear fruit into the future. We’re grateful to the French Embassy in Ireland, the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Institut français for helping us to expand this focus across our Immersive and Games programmes, to offer a robust overivew of the French screen industries.”

France-In-Focus takes place as part of the wider Galway Film Fair, which encompasses marketplace meetings and networking events with international financiers, sales agents, distributors, broadcasters, and producers. The Fair runs alongside the Galway Film Fleadh, Ireland’s premiere film festival with up to 100 film screenings taking place across 8th -13th July.

For press enquiries, interview requests, or further information, please contact:

Alex Partin – AlexP@filmfleadh.ie

Liam Aiken – liam@filmfleadh.ie

Galway Film Fleadh