Irish Surf Film Festival

MARCH 13TH 2027 | town hall theatre | Galway

About

The festival takes place in Galway city. The main evening event takes place in The Town Hall Theatre, and feature a short surf film competition, a surf photography competition, and also a wave of the year competition, related to and taken part by Irish waves, surfers, and documenters. Surf related feature films will be shown during the day in The Town Hall Theatre.

Please follow our socials for announcements on the next festival in March 2027.

The festival is generously supported by Finisterre, Yeti, The Galway City Arts Office, and FairSeas Ireland.

The Irish Surf Film Festival showcases the immense talent that is on offer both in terms of wave riding and the documenting of wave riding in Ireland.

The festival is a community-led annual event. It's an excuse to get everyone together and celebrate what we all love on the big screen. Our goal is to have a dignified platform for the community. So they can be proud of their work and their waves, and to inspire other people too.

Close-up of a breaking ocean wave with white foam and blue water.

2026/27 SCHEDULE (PLEASE FOLLOW SOCIALS FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS ON THE NEXT FESTIVAL):

Saturday 13th March 2027- Feature Films & Main Event
Town Hall Theatre, Galway

11AM - 4:30PM FEATURE FILMS:

6:30PM - 10:30PM MAIN EVENT AND AWARD CEREMONY

11PM TILL LATE - AFTER PARTY AND WIPEOUT OF THE YEAR AWARDS - Venue TBA

Competition

A surfer riding inside a large, hollow wave in black and white.

The spirit of The Irish Surf Film Festival (ISFF) is that it is for the Irish surf community - riders, filmers and photographers – as such, entrants should be living in Ireland (ROI or NI), for at least 6 months of the year.

Deadline for 2026/27 submissions: 17th February 2027

(PLEASE FOLLOW SOCIALS FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS ON THE NEXT FESTIVAL)

1) best Short film

Short films of a maximum 10 minutes
Should generally feature Irish waves/ riders who live in Ireland.
More in rules page
€1000 + Product
Check out our rules page for full details.
€30
More information available on our rules pages.

2) Wave of the year

6 Categories:
Bodyboard
Women’s
Paddle Surf
Tow Surf
U-18 Girls
U-18 Boys
€500/category + product
€250/category + product (U18)
Any wave caught in Ireland between (and including) 25th of October 2025 until the 17th February 2027.
Check out our rules page for full details.
€30
More information available on our rules pages.

3) Best photograph

The photography competition will be based on a theme. See rules section for more details
€1000 + product for best photograph
Photographs should have been taken in Ireland between (and including) the 1st of November 2024 and the 17th February 2027.
Check out our rules page for full details.
€30
More information available on our rules pages.

Venue | town hall Theatre GALWAY

A black and white photograph of a grand neoclassical building with a symmetrical facade, tall columns at the entrance, and large arched windows on either side. The building is surrounded by a paved walkway and circular flower beds.

Empty theater auditorium with red seats, dim lighting, and balcony level.

The Town Hall Theatre is the epicentre of activity for virtually all of Galway's key festivals and cultural events including Galway International Arts Festival, Galway Film Fleadh, Cuirt Festival of Literature, Baboro Children's Festival and Galway Comedy Festival to name but a few.

Acclaimed for consistently delivering the best of national and international talent year-round to Galway audiences, the venue's programme proudly features the work of many performers, companies, musical societies and arts organisations (both professional and amateur) from across the city and county.