Welcome the First Cut! 2022 programme!

The 13th edition of FCYFF is an in-person festival once again, after a completely online edition in 2021. Audiences from all over Ireland and abroad are invited to join us in the beautiful seaside town of Youghal for a completely free four-day programme of events including: open call short film, and feature film screenings, workshops, conversations with some of the leading filmmakers in Ireland and more. These will be followed by a day of online screenings and events. Scroll down to see the programme at a Glance.

Follow the links on this page to explore the Festival Programme, you’ll find booking info on the individual event pages. 

Browse the First Cut! Youth Film Festival Brochure below, or download a copy here.

First Cut! 2022 Festival Brochure. Designed by Kieran O’Connor

Wednesday March 9th
Animania – A Day of Animation!
10am, The Mall Arts Centre & Regal Cinema
Animation plays a major part in First Cut! Youth Film Festival because nothing conveys the magic of cinema like animation. That’s why we open the festival every year with a day dedicated to animation for a local primary school audience. A packed programme of workshop films, shorts and a feature presentation. Full details.

Thursday March 10th
Schools & Youth Groups Open Call
10am, The Mall Arts Centre
Secondary schools and youth groups are where many young people get their first chance to make a film. This programme showcases the quality and variety of films made in schools and youth groups throughout Ireland. This programme includes a Q&A discussion with participating filmmakers. Full details.

Festival 2022 New Competition Programmes
1pm, The Regal Cinema
A screening of films made as part of two exciting new competitions, both focusing on the important issue of climate change and what we can do to make a difference. These are a TikTok Competition presented with Cork Credit Unions, and Athrú Amháin! / One Change! which is First Cut’s first filmmaking through Irish programme. Full details.

All for Youghal!
7pm, The Regal Cinema
A programme celebrating Youghal, the seaside town in Co. Cork that has been home to First Cut! since 2014. It features workshop animations by local schools and two documentaries: John McGrath: My Life in the Clock Gate, a portrait of Youghal legend John McGrath made by local secondary school students; and Recollections, local filmmaker Michael Hussey’s nostalgic glimpse into the history of Youghal. Full details.

Friday March 11th
Cork Young Filmmakers
Regal Cinema & Mall Arts Centre
For the past fifteen years, the Cork Young Filmmakers (CYF) programme has been bringing hands-on filmmaking workshops annually to hundreds of young people throughout County Cork. This screening showcases films made in schools during 2021/22 by the creative young people participating in these workshops, which give them a first-hand opportunity to express themselves through film. This programme includes a Q&A discussion with participating filmmakers. Full details.

Saturday March 12th
Open Call Programmes
10am, The Mall Arts Centre
First Cut welcomes short films of every genre by young people from Ireland and abroad. The skill and imagination of young filmmakers shines through in the diverse and entertaining films that make up these programmes. Each Open Call programme includes a Q&A discussion with participating filmmakers. Full details.

Special Guest: Yvonne McDevitt in Conversation
1.30pm, The Regal Cinema
Yvonne McDevitt is a multi-award-winning Irish artist and filmmaker working primarily in non-fiction and experimental cinema with an interest in human history, interdisciplinary filmmaking and new technologies. Full details.

Spotlight
2.30pm, The Regal Cinema
Spotlight is First Cut’s open call programme celebrating the vision of emerging filmmakers of third level age. Some are in film courses, some are working independently but all are significant upcoming talents to watch for in the future. This programme includes a Q&A discussion with participating filmmakers. Full details.

Cork International Film Festival Programme
4.30pm, The Regal Cinema
Cork International Film Festival, Ireland’s first and largest film festival, has selected a curated programme of shorts from its 2021 programme. These films provide inspiration and new perspectives for our festival attendees. This programme includes a Q&A discussion with participating filmmakers. Full details.

YMVC – Youth Music Video Competition
6.15pm, The Regal Cinema
First Cut! continues to partner with award-winning director Brendan Canty for the sixth annual YMVC. Seven outstanding young filmmakers were selected in 2021 for the opportunity to make a music video under their mentorship. This event showcases these videos and features a panel discussion including festival special guest Bob Gallagher. Full details.

Awards Ceremony
7.15pm, The Regal Cinema
The 2022 First Cut! Youth Film Festival Awards will be announced! Full details.

Sunday March 13th
Our online programme will be available all through Sunday March 13th. Online screenings are free but require booking. Book these programmes.

Special Guest: Kate Dolan in Conversation
All day, online
An inspiring interview with the director of the award winning new Irish horror film You Are Not My Mother. Kate’s first feature is currently taking festivals by storm and she will discuss the path that led her to its success. Full details.

First Cut! Online Programmes
All day, online
Four programmes of short film highlights from the festival, including the 2022 FCYFF Award Winners and a special international focus. Full details.

First Cut! is also running a series of workshops in conjunction with the festival. Details of these are available on this site’s Workshop Page.