Ireland’s next generation of filmmakers will be honoured at the 11th annual Emerging Director Awards (EDAs). Recognising excellence in directing, cinematography, editing, and production, the EDAs are specifically designed for creatives with five years or less of professional experience, helping to bridge the gap between emerging talent and the wider industry.
The awards serve as a benchmark for excellence for newcomers in the film and advertising sectors. Supported by Screen Ireland, the awards provide a platform for early talent to showcase work to agencies and producers. They are a joint initiative between the Institute of Creative Advertising & Design (ICAD) and Commercial Producers Ireland (CPI).
The EDAs helps new talent find a place in advertising
ICAD president Alex Ingarfield said: “The EDAs give new talent a platform and helps them find their place in the advertising industry. This year’s panel is stacked with people who’ve done the work and built incredible careers, so there’s a lot to learn from them. We’re grateful to Screen Ireland, ICAD and CPI for making the whole thing possible.”
The awards event evening kicks off with a keynote panel discussion – ‘Beyond the Award: Building a Sustainable Directing Career’. Hosted by Assembly’s Rebecca Bourke, the panel features Oscar-nominee Johnny Kelly, award-winning filmmaker Aoife Kelleher, and director and 2025 EDA winner, Ruairi Bradley.
The event will be in the Lighthouse Cinema in Dublin’s Smithfield starting at 6.30pm on Thursday, April 30. Following the panel discussion, the awards ceremony starts at at 7.30 PM, unveiling the winners and screening the winning work across all craft categories. The full shortlist for this year’s EDA awards can be viewed here
Tickets are available from Eventbrite
