Celebrate the best of contemporary Irish cinema as the Irish Film Festival Boston returns to the historic Somerville Theatre for a two-day March Screening Series highlighting new voices and award-winning storytelling from Ireland’s vibrant film industry on March 20 and 21. The festival will feature a curated lineup of feature films, short films, and documentaries spanning genres from comedy and animation to gripping drama and thought-provoking documentaries.

Over its 25-year history, the festival has brought together filmmakers and audiences from across the U.S. and Ireland, becoming one of the largest celebrations of Irish cinema in North America. This year’s program includes several notable screenings:

On Friday, March 20, the festival screens the Academy Award®-nominated animated short Retirement Plan and the Irish-language feature Báite, an award-winning drama about a mysterious death affecting a local business owner. On Saturday, March 21, audiences can attend the U.S. premiere of the documentary Beat the Lotto, with director Ross Whitaker in person, and the feature Christy, an Irish Film & Television Academy Best Film winner about two estranged brothers reconnecting in Cork.

For the full list of films and schedule and ticket information, please visit Irish Film Festival.  Follow the Festival on Instagram and X @IrishFilmFest and on Facebook.

Friday, March 20, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.
BÁITE (Subtitled in English) – 2025/Ireland | 94 minutes
Director: Ruán Magan

Saturday, March 21, 2026 | 5:00 p.m.
BEAT THE LOTTO – 2025/Ireland | 85 minutes
Director: Ross Whitaker (in person)

Saturday, March 21, 2026 | 7:00 p.m.
CHRISTY – 2025/Ireland | 94 minutes
Director: Brendan Canty

Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, MA 02144

Irish Film Festival Boston is a partner of IFI International. The program, run by the Irish Film Institute and supported by Culture Ireland, aims to strategically build an audience for Irish film through worldwide cultural exhibition. Founded in 1999, the festival has screened over 600 Irish films since its inception and is the go-to for sneak peeks and US distributor-sponsored screenings. The festival has played host to some of the greatest names in Irish cinema, including Jim Sheridan, Gabriel Byrne, Brendan Gleeson, Domhnall Gleeson, Terry George, Colm Meaney, Fionnula Flanagan, John Boorman, Aidan Quinn, Stephen Rea, Ruth McCabe, Dylan Moran, and Pat Shortt. For more information, please visit www.irishfilmfestival.com.