Irish actors, filmmakers and stories from Ireland feature prominently in this year’s Russell Hobbs British Film Festival, giving Queensland audiences plenty to look out for when the festival opens on 28 October.
From a drama set on the Donegal coast to the true story of a Galway historian who uncovered a disturbing chapter in Ireland’s past, the 2026 programme has several films of particular interest to Irish audiences.
The Three Urns is one of the standouts. Starring Irish actor Ciarán Hinds and featuring Sinéad Cusack, the comedy-drama is set on the north-west coast of Donegal. Hinds plays Mr O’Connor, who returns to Ireland after decades in France to scatter his late wife’s ashes and reconnect with his family. His journey brings a series of unexpected encounters, with Irish hospitality at the heart of this warm story of family, home and belonging.
The film also features Stephen Fry and Olga Kurylenko. It screens at Palace Barracks, Petrie Terrace, on 9 November at 8.30pm, 16 November at 8.15pm, 21 November at 1.20pm and 25 November at 11am.
For those interested in Irish history, The Lost Children of Tuam tells the story of amateur historian Catherine Corless, whose research into the former Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in County Galway uncovered inconsistencies in records relating to hundreds of children.
Produced by Liam Neeson, the historical drama follows Corless as she pieces together the evidence and challenges the institutions responsible for protecting vulnerable mothers and children. Her painstaking work helped bring international attention to one of the most troubling chapters in modern Irish history.
Brisbane screenings at Palace Barracks are scheduled for 30 October at 1.40pm, 10 November at 1.30pm, 16 November at 11am and 24 November at 4pm.
Another Irish production is Once Upon a Time in a Cinema, written and directed by Irish filmmaker David Gleeson. Set in 1980s Ireland, it follows cinema manager Earl Clancy through an increasingly disastrous Friday-night screening as he weighs up selling the family cinema to a politician.
Starring Colin Morgan, Niamh Cusack, India Mullen and Calam Lynch, the film is a nostalgic comedy about the importance of local cinemas and the communities built around them. It screens at Palace Barracks on 3 November at 11am, 9 November at 11.15am, 13 November at 10.50am, 19 November at 1.40pm and 24 November at 8.15pm.
Irish-born stars also feature in films set outside Ireland. Bad Apples stars Saoirse Ronan, the Dublin-born actress whose career has taken her from Irish productions to international award-winning films. This dark comedy follows a primary-school teacher whose decision to deal with a disruptive pupil takes an unexpected turn. Brisbane sessions include Palace Barracks on 1 November at 1.10pm, 2 November at 8.20pm and 14 November at 8.30pm.
From British director Andrew Haigh (All of Us Strangers) comes the quietly devastating drama A Long Winter, adapted from Colm Tóibín’s acclaimed novel, that follows a young man’s unexpected reckoning that reshapes his world.
Meanwhile, The Incomer features Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson in a comedy about two eccentric siblings living on a remote Scottish island and the council official sent to deal with them. It screens at Palace Barracks on 30 October at 8.30pm, 7 November at 3.30pm, 12 November at 8.15pm, 20 November at 6pm and 22 November at 1.10pm.
The much-loved Bill Nighy stars in the poignant drama 500 Miles, which follows a broken family that must come together as two young boys embark on an epic journey to reunite with their estranged grandfather. Set across breathtaking landscapes of Ireland, from iconic locations in Dublin to the sweeping Dingle Peninsula.
Closing the festival is Elsinore, starring Dublin-born Andrew Scott as actor Ian Charleson. The biographical drama follows Charleson’s decision to play Hamlet at London’s National Theatre in 1989 while battling AIDS. The closing-night screenings are at Palace Barracks on 29 November at 6.15pm and Palace James St at 4pm.
The Russell Hobbs British Film Festival runs from 28 October to 29 November in Brisbane, with screenings at Palace Barracks and Palace James St in Fortitude Valley. Session times and tickets are available at britishfilmfestival.com.au.
