The Bleeding Pig Film Festival has spent the last few years bringing independent Irish film to the local community of Donabate. The festival returns this year on Monday 19th May through to Wednesday 21st May 2025, and their programme this year includes plenty of short films, as well as a fantastic Irish feature in Darren and Colin Thornton’s Four Mothers.
The Film Festival is part of the wider Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival, which promotes the arts on the peninsula of Donabate/Portrane.
During the festival, the two shorts programmes will be followed by Q&As hosted by Sinead Brassil on day one, and on day two by Film In Dublin’s Luke Dunne, who, in the interests of full disclosure, is me. Both short film programmes are free but booking is essential, and tickets are available here.
Released earlier this year, Four Mothers tells the story of Edward (James McArdle), a novelist saddled with caring for his elderly mother (Fionnula Flanagan) who finally finds himself on the brink of literary success. Busy with the demands of his upcoming book tour, the last thing Edward needs is his friends leaving their mothers on his doorstep as they head off on an impromptu Pride holiday. Screening with thanks to Break Out Pictures
The screenings of Bleeding Pig Film Festival 2025 will be taking place at St. Patrick’s Church of Ireland in Donabate.
You can check out the programme for the festival below here:
Monday 19th May 7.30pm- 9.45pm Q&A Sinead Brassil
Naked Lights 14mins F
Written & Directed by Jeda de Brí
Emma is stuck in a dead-end job as a night shift attendant at a petrol station. When a masked stranger arrives one night, threatening to burn the place to the ground, Emma is all that stands in his way.
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/952865396
Trouble 17 mins F
Written by Francesca McDonnell Capossela, Jonathan C. Creasy, Maura McDonnell & Directed by Jonathan Shaw
A tense civil war drama capturing the fear and resolve of the Irish people for independence. The story follows the lives of three orphaned siblings – two sisters and a brother – on the verge of a tragic event.
Trailer: https://filmfreeway.com/Trouble121
Brón 5 mins F
Written by Gareth Lyons & Directed by Catherine Mangan Williams
By a riverside, a man battling his personal demons finds unexpected companionship in a curious fox.
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1054144602?share=copy
The Art of Removing the Sticky Bits 5 mins F
Written & Directed by Eve Duffy
A young boy struggles to understand a new dynamic with his parents as his world is uprooted.
Baby Steps 14 mins F
Written & Directed by Hannah Mamalis
Em is 7-months pregnant and feels no connection to the baby inside her. She tries to follow the instructions of an outdated tape called How to Connect with your Unborn Child – chaos ensues.
Gael Force 8 mins F
Written & Directed by Tara Hegarty
In 1999, the Irish national broadcaster, RTÉ, announced that its weather forecasters, who were trained meteorologists and household names, would be replaced by attractive young television presenters. But the people of Ireland had something to say about that.
Screening will be followed by a filmmaker Q&A hosted by Sinead Brasil
Book tickets here
Young People of Ireland 15 mins F
Written & Directed by Sophie Meehan
A playful exploration of underground responses to social mores in 1970s Ireland, told through a day in the life of two young women.
Tuesday 20th May 7.30pm – 9.45pm Q&A Luke Dunne
Peat 18 mins
Written & Directed by Paudie Baggott
An under-appreciated Irish widow builds a magical creature to help her work the bog, but when she and the creature develop feelings for each other, her jealous man-boy son tries to destroy it.
Trailer: https://www.paudiebaggott.ie/2024/11/20/3r581vnf42eiuyik6s66y27jwvblre
Missing 14 mins F
Written & Directed by Maura Foley
A new mother struggling with postpartum anxiety becomes convinced her new neighbours are harbouring a dark secret that she must investigate.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O97rYnKxpCA&t=1s
Ghosted 14 mins F
Written by Sarah Jane Scott & Directed by Jeda de Brí
When Corina is ghosted by the charming Paul, she calls her best friend for comfort. But serial killer-obsessed Anne Marie is suspicious as to the whereabouts of Paul and convinces her to go on a mission to find out where he went.
Come Back 15 mins F
Written & Directed by Helen O’Reilly
An 11 year old girl wants to restore her relationship with her older sister but her sister’s new friends have other ideas
Hometime 12 mins
Written by Joe McGucken & Directed by Jonathan Lambert
An inner-city boy, Sam, spends his birthday in a pub, waiting for his mother, Leanne, to call it a night.
Trailer: https://www.hometimefilm.com/hometime-trailer
The Innkeeper 14 mins F
Written by Denise Deegan & Directed by Paudie Baggott
When a spirited eight-year-old lands the part of Innkeeper in the school nativity play, she battles her perfectionist teacher who insists that she “stick to the script” and refuse Mary and Joseph a room.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm4Sc2668io
Retirement Plan 7 mins
Written & Directed by John Kelly
At apathy with his life, Ray (Domhnall Gleeson) dreams of the beauty and joy he will find in retirement.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O660kFEm3kY
Screening will be followed by a filmmaker Q&A hosted by Film in Dublin’s Luke Dunne
Book tickets here
Wednesday 21st May 8pm – 9.45pm
Four Mothers
Book tickets here