The Galway Film Fleadh will bring another compelling selection of feature films to Galway audiences this November, with a programme of Irish premieres, acclaimed cinema classics, festival favourites and special screenings taking place from 4–8 November as part of Generation Fleadh 2026.
Screening at Pálás Cinema, the feature programme brings together some of the most talked-about films on the international festival circuit alongside much-loved classics and a welcome return to the big screen for one of the standout films of this year's Galway Film Fleadh.
Leading the programme are two Irish premieres: Josephine, Beth De Araújo’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner starring Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan, and Edie Arnold Is a Loser, Kade Atwood and Megan Rico’s award-winning punk coming-of-age comedy, which made its mark at SXSW.
The programme opens on Wednesday 4th of November with a preview screening of Anton Corbijn’s A Talent for Murder, starring Academy Award winner Helen Mirren as celebrated crime writer Patricia Highsmith, alongside Alden Ehrenreich. The screening will be followed by Anthony Minghella’s acclaimed adaptation of Highsmith’s The Talented Mr Ripley, starring Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Cate Blanchett. Together, the films offer audiences a fascinating double bill exploring suspense, obsession and the enduring appeal of one of crime fiction’s most intriguing literary creations.
On Friday 6th of November, audiences can revisit Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris’s much-loved Little Miss Sunshine, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, before the Irish premiere of Josephine. A powerful exploration of childhood trauma and its impact on family life, the film will be followed by a discussion on depicting trauma on screen with adolescent and adult psychotherapist Martha McKeon Lynch.
Saturday November 7th brings the Irish premiere of Edie Arnold Is a Loser, a sharp, irreverent comedy about a Catholic school outcast who finds her voice through a secret punk band. The evening continues with Mulholland Drive, David Lynch’s celebrated, dreamlike journey into Hollywood’s dark underworld, marking 25 years of a film that continues to captivate, challenge and confound audiences.
Also returning to the big screen is Isabel Daly’s Washed Up, an LGBTQIA+ romantic comedy drawing on the ancient mythology of selkies. Following a young artist navigating heartbreak and the sale of her late grandfather’s seaside home, the film blends romance, fantasy and contemporary queer storytelling.
A second chance to see Galway Film Fleadh Audience Award winner
Closing the programme on Sunday 8th of November is Learning to Breathe Underwater, directed by Rebekah Fortune and filmed in Galway. The film won the Audience Award at the 2026 Galway Film Fleadh, marking it as a particular favourite with audiences at this year's festival. This November screening offers Galway audiences a second opportunity to experience the film on the big screen. A soulful, imaginative story of grief, family and friendship, it follows eight-year-old Leo, whose extraordinary imagination helps him navigate a complicated reality. When a spirited au pair enters his life, Leo is challenged to embrace the unpredictable and wonderful world around him.
The closing screening will be followed by a Q&A with the film’s producers, Heather Higgins and Ivan McMahon, offering audiences an opportunity to hear more about the making of the film and its connection to Galway.
Festival Programmer, Charlene Lydon said; "Generation Fleadh is an opportunity to bring audiences together around films that surprise, challenge and stay with us long after the credits roll. This year's feature programme combines exciting new voices and Irish premieres with films that have earned their place in cinema history. We are particularly delighted to welcome Learning to Breathe Underwater back to Galway following its Audience Award win at this year's Fleadh, giving audiences another opportunity to experience a film that resonated so strongly with them in July."
The feature programme forms part of Generation Fleadh, the Galway Film Fleadh's five-day celebration of cinema, taking place from 4–8 November across Pálás Cinema, Eye Cinema and other venues. Alongside the feature screenings, the wider programme includes Irish and international short films, animation, workshops, masterclasses and events designed to bring audiences closer to the art and craft of filmmaking.
From contemporary independent cinema and Irish premieres to landmark films and an award-winning Galway-shot story, the programme offers audiences a chance to experience a broad range of cinema on the big screen. Generation Fleadh is part of the Galway Film Fleadh's year-round programming and is open to audiences of all ages.
Tickets and the full programme are available at www.galwayfilmfleadh.com
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