San Francisco Irish Film Festival

05/05/2026

SFIF will co-present, "Celtic Utopia" at the upcoming 25th Annual San Francisco Documentary Festival.
Celtic Utopia tells the story of a new Ireland and its vibrant music scene, but also that of a post-colonial society wrestling with its heritage. A society where folk music carries both the oppression of the past and the dream of a bright future. The Irish folk music renaissance sees artists coming from punk, hip-hop, and beyond, rediscovering an ancient tradition and taking it in unexpected directions. Ticket Link in comments - May 29th @ The Roxie

In Celtic Utopia, Dennis Harvey and Lars Lovén follow a generation that refuses to let history solidify, as a new Ireland takes shape—loud, hopeful, and alle...

03/07/2026

The SF Irish Film Docfest kicks off today at 3pm. Come on down and experience the best in Irish storytelling as we celebrate Community + Connection! Special guest Mark McLoughlin has flown in from Kerry to share his experience of making "Stolen Lives" our festival spotlight, sponsored by Casements SF.
Tickets are on sale at door, online sales over at 12 noon. See you there.
Culture Ireland Irish Literary and Historical Society of the San Francisco Bay Area Irish Immigration Pastoral Center San Francisco United Irish Cultural Center Casements Bar

03/05/2026

Have you got your tickets for the DocFest on Saturday March 7th? We are kicking off St. Patrick's month with a fabulous and diverse, as always, collection of current Irish Film at Delancey street! Please pop in and join us in celebrating some amazing filmmakers - include Garry Keane, Mark McLoughlin, Paddy O'Laoighaire, and Ronan McCloskey. What a perfect way to clear you head after the frolics at the The Ireland FundsGala the previous night celebrating our Consul General of Ireland, Micheal Smith!
Tickets: www.sfirishfilm.com
Irish Immigration Pastoral Center San Francisco United Irish Cultural Center Casements Bar

02/28/2026

One of the highlights of the Docfest is the wonderful "Dipsea Generations" directed by Paddy O'Leary! Paddy, originally from Ireland, is a scientist and athlete who is a previous Dipsea winner. This film documents how 5 young runners from diverse backgrounds tackle the training and the eventual iconic run - one of the most famous trail runs in the US and beyond.
We have a special ticket price of $10 and kids are free! Join us at the festival to celebrate the Dipsea Generations - screening at 4.30pm!
Irish Film Institute (IFI) Culture Ireland
Irish Immigration Pastoral Center San Francisco Screen Ireland United Irish Cultural Center Irish Literary and Historical Society Irish Arts & Writers' Festival people living in America

02/27/2026

Garry Keane is one of Ireland's premier documentarians and we have the privilege of sharing his latest film, A Quiet Love" at the Docfest on Sat March 7th Street.
A Quiet Love captures the remarkable love stories of three Deaf couples told through Irish Sign Language: a decades-long forbidden romance across a religious divide, an same-sex couple navigating parenthood with Deaf and hearing children, and a Deaf boxer and his hearing partner facing a life-altering choice. A Quiet Love is a cinematic celebration of resilience, connection, and enduring love; featuring an immersive soundscape. It is Ireland’s first feature film in Irish Sign Language, produced by a Deaf and hearing team and directed by Garry Keane (In the Shadow of Beirut, GAZA).
Irish Literary and Historical Society of the San Francisco Bay Area Screen Ireland Culture Ireland Irish Immigration Pastoral Center San FranciscoUnited Irish Cultural Center Irish Film Institute (IFI) Casements Bar

In this intimate film, three Deaf couples share their remarkable love stories through Irish Sign Language: a decade-long forbidden romance across a religious divide,…

02/22/2026

STOLEN LIVES is the festival highlight on March 7th.
The dynamic and inspiring story of Sunny Jacobs, (USA) and Peter Pringle, (IRELAND) both accused of killing police officers, both sentenced to death, and both exonerated. Sunny spent 17 years on death row, 5 in solitary confinement and Peter was the last man sentenced to death in Ireland in 1980 and served 15 years in prison. They met and married and decided to set up a "landing strip" for exonerees. They have reached out to thousands of people across the world in bringing attention to injustice and the shocking numbers of innocent people in prison, very often the victims of poverty and guilty of no crime. This is the story of their sanctuary in Connemara, and the exonerees whose lives they have helped by offering a healing place as they adjust to life on the outside.
Culture Ireland Irish Literary and Historical Society of the San Francisco Bay Area Irish Film Institute (IFI) United Irish Cultural Center Casements Bar Irish Immigration Pastoral Center San Francisco Irish Arts & Writers' Festival Innocence Project
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02/21/2026

SFIF Annual Docfest on March 7th kicks off with an Irish language film Éire agus Na Chéad Naisiúin - a film by Ronan McCloskey. Filmed as a road journey across the United States, the film traces connections ranging from trade and alliance to conflict and displacement. It draws on contributions from Irish historians and Indigenous voices and was produced by Ronin Films with support from the Irish Language Broadcast Fund and Coimisiún na Meáin. It will screen at 3pm - tickets at sfirishfilm.com

02/18/2026

SFIF is happy to announce that the program is ready and tickets are on sale for March 7th! Check out the website and details on upcoming films, more information to follow. Join us to celebrate another year of great Irish Documentary Film!
United Irish Cultural Center Culture Ireland Irish Literary and Historical Society of the San Francisco Bay Area Irish Immigration Pastoral Center San Francisco Irish Arts & Writers' Festival Crossroads Irish-American Festival Galway Film Fleadh Irish Film Institute (IFI)

Posted on August 9, 2022February 17, 2026 by [email protected] SF Irish Film 2026 2026 SF IRISH FILM DocFest • MARCH 7, 2025 This year’s festival, themed "Community + Connection," explores the invisible threads that bind Ireland to the Bay Area and beyond through shared histories of struggl...

02/12/2026

We're ready to announce the program for the 9th Annual DocFest - Save the Date for March 7th! This year's theme is Community + Connection! We will be bringing 4 docs to Delancey Street Screening Room - more soon!
PS - Does anyone have a link to an organization dedicated to the Deaf? I'd love to connect and let them know about one of the films - feel free to share a contact if you can.

11/05/2025

There are still some tickets left for our upcoming "Listen to the Land Speak" - at the Ode To Joy EU Cinefest. A wonderful opportunity to see Manchan Magan's beautiful film, winner of the Best Cinematography prize at the Galway Fim Fleadh 2025!
Irish Literary and Historical Society of the San Francisco Bay Area Irish Immigration Pastoral Center San Francisco Consulate General of Ireland San Francisco United Irish Cultural Center
https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/ode-to-joy-european-cinefest-san-francisco-4754103?msockid=3a52343798fd6f1221eb26d099796e72

10/24/2025

NEWSFLASH: Ode To Joy Tickets are now available!
Ode to Joy: European CineFest San Francisco is the city’s first ever European Film Festival, a three-day cinematic journey across Europe’s cultures, languages, and emotions. Hosted by the EU Office in San Francisco in partnership with European Consulates and Cultural Institutes, the festival celebrates the joy of storytelling and the diversity of Europe on screen.

SFIF and the Consulate General of Ireland present LISTEN TO THE LAND SPEAK - A beautiful documentary made by the late Manchán Magan and directed by Maurice O'Brien- check out tickets for the Nov 9th screening at Delancey Street Screening room. 🎟️ https://bit.ly/OdeToJoySF
European Union in the United States United Irish Cultural Center Irish Literary and Historical Society of the San Francisco Bay Area Irish Immigration Pastoral Center San Francisco

https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/ode-to-joy-european-cinefest-san-francisco-4754103