Catalyst International Film Festival announces €10,000 Short Documentary Bursary Award 2026

Catalyst International Film Festival announces €10,000 Short Documentary Bursary Award 2026. Catalyst International Film Festival which celebrates diverse storytelling takes place in Limerick from April 23 and 25, 2026. Pictured at the launch are Founder & Director Dr Susan Liddy, Actress and Festival Ambassador Ruth Negga and Actress and Producer Aisha Tyler. Picture: Olena Oleksienko/ilovelimerick

Catalyst International Film Festival has announced details for the Short Documentary Bursary Award 2026, worth €10,000

Catalyst International Film Festival is delighted to launch the Short Documentary Bursary Award 2026, offering €10,000 to support emerging and early-career filmmakers in creating a compelling short documentary.

This prestigious bursary champions new voices in Irish film, supporting projects that creatively explore themes of equality, diversity, and inclusion. The selected filmmaker will receive funding to produce a 10-15 minute documentary, with the final film premiering at Catalyst International Film Festival 2027.

Nicola Leddy, director of Boobs and winner of the 2024 Short Documentary Bursary Award, said the award allowed her to work with an “incredible crew” and bring her production to life.

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She said, “The Catalyst Bursary made it possible for me to collaborate with an incredible crew and bring my vision to life in a way I never could have alone. The pitching process was a fantastic experience, pushing me to refine my ideas and gain valuable industry insight. As my debut funded short film, this is a crucial calling card—proof of what I can accomplish with the right support. I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity and excited for what comes next.”

Catalyst welcomes applications in both English and Irish, with a strong emphasis on gender balance and diverse representation both on-screen and behind the camera. At least one paid internship must be provided for an individual from an underrepresented group in the screen industry.

The €10,000 bursary award is to fund a short documentary (10-15 mins) which must explore an aspect of equality, diversity, and inclusion in Ireland. The bursary is open to emerging filmmakers (students are not eligible), and has a deadline of April 6, 2026. Shortlisted applicants will interview in Limerick on April 25, 2026, and the final film will debut at Catalyst International Film Festival 2027.

For full details and application guidelines, visit the Catalyst International Film Festival website, and for further inquiries, contact: [email protected]

This year’s festival returns April 23- 25, presenting films, panel discussions, workshops and networking events in venues across the city for its 7th edition.

The Limerick festival presents a film programme prioritising stories and storytellers currently under-represented on screen and behind the camera, with screenings, panels, workshops and masterclasses.

Among the programme for 2026 are the premiere of Catalyst Short Documentary Bursary Award winner Queen Lizzie, directed by David McDonagh, the annual Shaping the Future in Screenwriting Industry Day featuring Award Winning special guests audiences will know and love, alongside networking events and a dynamic programme of national and international films screening in venues across the city.

Academy Award nominee and Festival Ambassador Ruth Negga said, “It swells the heart to welcome everybody back and to be growing our Shannon-side film festival,” said Negga. “We are celebrating the many different faces of our film industry and its future.”

Festival Director Dr Susan Liddy highlighted the necessity of the festival’s mission, noting that too many promising voices are lost due to a lack of institutional support saying, “Too often, promising voices are not identified or supported, resulting in a loss of authentic stories,” Dr Liddy said, adding, “Catalyst is taking a first step towards changing that.”