Fresh International Film Festival has announced the filmmakers and students among those recognised at this year’s Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year Awards (IYFTY) 2026, held at the Mansion House in Dublin on Thursday, 26th March 2026.
Animation was really well represented at the event and Animation Ireland were delighted to sit on this year’s jury for the Animation Ireland Award which was awarded to Charlie Beimers for her film, The Volunteer. Beimers also won Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year 2026 (2nd) for The Volunteer.
The Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year Awards are part of the Fresh International Film Festival, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Often described as the “Young Oscars” of Irish film, the awards are recognised as one of the leading platforms internationally for young filmmakers.
This year’s awards attracted more than 1,500 entries, with 60 films shortlisted. Finalists progressed through regional screenings held earlier this month, where their work was shown on the big screen to audiences of peers, teachers and families.
More than 300 young filmmakers aged between 12 and 18 attended the ceremony, where 17 awards were presented.
The ceremony was hosted by filmmaker and three-time IYFTY winner Seán Treacy and comedian and actor Faye Shortt, with Meg Hughes covering red carpet arrivals.
Full List of Award Winners
- Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year 2026 (1st): Deep Where The Cailleach Lives – Liam Raymond (Cavan)
- Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year 2026 (2nd): The Volunteer – Charlie Beimers (Down)
- Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year 2026 (3rd): So-n-so’s Frozen Frog Museum – Hugo Fearon (Belfast)
- Best School: Birdy – CBS James Street (Dublin)
- Best Group: Pricked – Stagecraft Youth Theatre, Clonmel, (Tipperary)
- Best Cinematography: What’s The Job – Alana Gaston (Antrim)
- Best Screenplay: Possessed By You – Sonny Santiago (Wicklow)
- Best Director: Fisher Boy – Alexander Hollingsworth (Dublin)
- Best Comedy: Slasher – Liam Donohoe Dunne (Roscommon)
- Best Concept: Shattered Reality – Eoin Brennan (Antrim)
- Best Art Direction: 12 Scissors – Limerick Youth Theatre (Limerick)
- Radharc Award: Life in Listowel – Airt Lyons & Jack Carney (Kerry)
- RTÉ Factual: Embers of the Damned – Rachel Emily McIlhagger (Antrim)
- RTÉ 60 Second: What Goes On Behind – Le Chéile Secondary School (Dublin)
- Animation Ireland Award: The Volunteer – Charlie Beimers (Down)
- Bow Street Performance Award: Abbie Burke – Pricked (Tipperary)
See www.freshfilm.ie for more details the work of Fresh Film.