Ross Whitaker takes the stage to answer questions from the audience about his movie, his creative process, and more.

By Matthias Gat

Director Ross Whitaker visits the Somerville community for a special Q&A following the North American premiere of his most recent movie, Beat the Lotto.

On a chilly, not-quite-spring, Saturday evening, residents gathered at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Sq. to attend 2026’s Irish Film Festival. As the largest celebration of Irish film outside of Ireland, Irish Film Festival Boston was established in 1999 in an effort to expose Irish film to a wider audience.

Director Ross Whitaker was a special guest this year to talk about his most recent documentary, “Beat the Lotto.” Whitaker directed various movies in the past, covering topics that range from boxing champions to bird songs. The unifying theme between all of his films is spotlighting Irish stories.

Before the screening, a small reception was held for Whitaker. In attendance were family, friends, and people with all access passes. One of the attendees, Theresa Kelly, spoke on how important the film festival is, drawing on her Irish heritage. She mentioned in one of the screenings at the 2019 festival that, in the background of a documentary on the gay community in Ireland, she saw one of her first cousins. In a sense, Kelly says that “Irish cinema feels like going home.”

Beat the Lotto is a documentary about mathematician Stefan Klincewicz, who discovered a way to cheat Ireland’s National Lottery by using mathematical analysis and exploiting a loophole he discovered. The film, despite its simple premise, covers more than just the tactics of the lottery syndicate. It touches on the socio-economic state of Ireland in the 80s and why the lottery was so culturally significant.

After the screening, Whitaker was joined on stage by the executive director of the event, Dawn Morrisey, to answer questions from the audience. With a packed theater came a number of questions, but only a few could be answered in the time crunch.

One audience member asked whether former Irish Lotto director Ray Bates, who served as what can best be described as the “antagonist” of the film, was involved in the filmmaking process. Whitaker revealed that Bates had originally agreed to be part of the film, but ultimately changed his mind. He said that Bates was still one of the first people who was shown the documentary, which he thoroughly enjoyed.

The Irish Film Festival is a great way to highlight independent and international cinema, and given the opportunity, anyone should go. With how many people the film festival draws in yearly, it would be worth considering for more identity-based screening events to take place at the Somerville Theatre in order to reflect Somerville’s diverse community.