Waterford International Film Festival

Overview

Waterford International Film Festival (WIFF) – 2026 Celebrating its 20th Edition in November 2026, the Waterford International Film Festival continues a two-decade tradition of championing bold storytelling and creative voices from Ireland and around the world. WIFF is proud to be a recipient of the EFFE Label from the European Festivals Association, recognising remarkable arts festivals across Europe. The 2026 festival takes place 14–15 November in Waterford, Ireland, with live screenings and events hosted at the House of Waterford and the SETU Chapel on College Street. The festival then continues online with screenings available 15–21 November, extending the reach of the programme to audiences. Each year WIFF receives submissions from filmmakers and creatives worldwide and presents a curated programme celebrating originality, creativity, and independent storytelling. Submissions are now open across our three core competitions, welcoming work from both emerging and established creatives. Annual Competitions WIFF hosts three competitions: 🎞 Short Film Competition 📜 Short Screenplay Competition 📸 Photography Competition Festival Dates – 2026 Live Festival Events: 14–15 November Online Screenings: 15–21 November Film Programme The festival showcases a diverse programme of short films, documentaries, animation, music videos, and experimental works from filmmakers around the world. WIFF is committed to supporting emerging talent while providing audiences with an engaging programme of international independent cinema. ************************************************************* All selected films will be available online throughout the festival week. The festival's film selection is divided into two categories: Official Selections: Films awarded as an 'Official Selection' will be screened both live in a venue and online. Finalists: Films awarded as a 'Finalist' will be screened online only via our partners at Éiretainment but remain in full consideration for awards ******************************************************** 💡 Please Note: WIFF does not offer fee waivers. Submission fees are essential to supporting festival operations. ******************************************************** All selected films, whether screened in person or online, are eligible for awards in their respective categories. For a full list of prizes please see the awards section. Full List of Categories 🏆 Best Short Film 📜 Best Short Screenplay 📸 Best Cinematic Image - Photo Contest 🌍 Best International Short Film 🎨 Best Short Animation 🎥 Best Short Documentary 🎓 Best Student or Debut Short Film 🎵 Best Music Video 🎬 Best Trailer Virtual Audience Award for Best Irish Short Sponsored by Éiretainment Prize (optional): Winners of the WIFF Audience Prize have the option to take a 6-month non-exclusive streaming contract with Eiretainment. Should the winning film accept the prize - the film must appear on Eiretainment within one year of winning - terms and conditions apply. 🗳 Non-jury award, decided by online audience votes 🎬 Only eligible for selected/finalist Irish filmmakers or films produced in Ireland. T&C Apply Networking Opportunities 🤝 Live Networking Event – A relaxed meet-and-greet at the House of Waterford. 💻 Online Networking Event – A free Zoom session during the festival week. 🏅 Awards & Reception – Sunday, 15th November, featuring a drinks reception, awards ceremony (90 minutes), and networking opportunities for all filmmakers, including those with online-only screenings. Online Screenings & Geo-blocking All selected films will be available for online streaming during the festival. Viewers from the EU can access screenings via a secure paywall. Geo-blocking options are available for films that need to be restricted to Ireland only. ✅ Review our rules & terms before submitting. WIFF runs annual competitions for films, scripts, and photography, with all selected films eligible for awards. 📍 Festival Venues: Physical Screenings – Held at The House of Waterford & SETU The Chapel- College Street Campus. Online Screenings – Éiretainment's platform supported by Shift72 📌 IMDb-listed festival: WIFF on IMDb- https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0005100/overview/?ref_=ev_sa_1 For further inquiries, contact us at waterfordfilmfestival@gmail.com.

Last updated Sep 4, 2026

Legitimacy Analysis

Trust Signals

Festival Details

FilmFreeway communityGold festival

• Filmmaker

  Thank you so much for selecting our short film, One Last Day in Taghmon, for the WATERFORD INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. We were truly honored to be part of your program and thrilled to share our story with your audience.

• Filmmaker

  Many thanks for including The Mood Swings as part of your online festival. It was great to get the opportunity to show viewers the damage done to people with severe mental health issues by the stigma that is associated with their diagnoses. Well done WIFF for supporting short films!

• Filmmaker

  Supreme programming; intentional and creative. Stephen and team were a delight, the coherence and rhythm to the programming was next to none and the networking aspects for those in the industry were warm, chill and with many, many friendly, gifted faces. Having online access to the program for audience that couldn't make the trip was invaluable. Incredibly grateful to Stephen and co. An honour to have screened Shelter this year. Highly, highly recommend. Míle buíochas WIFF beimid ar ais ☘️

• Filmmaker

  Such a wonderful festival. I am so honoured to have won Best Debut Short for Brón. Thank you to the judges and organizers! Cat Mangan Williams

• Filmmaker

  Thank you so much for choosing our film and presenting it to the screening Good Luck /Rastgele team

FilmFreeway reviews are filmmaker opinions, not our score. Cross-check red flags before paying fees.

Related Festivals in Ireland