Filmmakers, film fans and other curious attendees mingled in the charming venue to enjoy mulled wine and hot chocolate before a screening of ten stunning short films at the iffy Short Film Festival last weekend.

The programme included eight films from Ireland and two international films with six of the shorts screened written and directed by women. Although the curators are clear to point out that a theme for the programme is never expressly chosen, this edition’s line up was very unique; touching on comedy, dance, theatre and horror all with an experimental twist.

Festival director Duncan McKenna had this to say about the festivals latest edition:

“iffy 4 was a resounding success. On the sellout night, there was a great vibe, good chats and 10 fantastic short films. For that we thank the volunteers, our sponsor Dept, and of course the filmmakers. We look forward to the next edition of iffy, and what that will become”

The winner of the “little iffy” award this year was  Legacy an experimental film by Derry-based writer and filmmaker Michael Barwise. Described as a journey into the collective gut of cats and Northern Ireland while exploring the lasting impact of violence and the domestication of trauma, the film was produced in association with Channel 4’s Random Acts and premiered on Film 4 as part of The Troubles on Film Season in September.

Describing the festival, director, writer and actor Anne Marie Kelly said:

This festival was a pleasure to attend. The organisers were lovely to deal with and they brought a cohesion to the audience experience with their enthusiasm and respect for film. Met some interesting professionals at the relaxed reception. Looking forward to the next one – I’ll be going for the pure enjoyment whether I have a film showing or not.

The fifth edition of iffy will take place on July 13th 2020. Submissions will be open to filmmakers from March 20th next year. Film fans can keep up to date with iffy on social media on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram