“★★★★★… if you’re down for a trip, Sirāt is The Wages of Fear meets The Vanishing on shrooms; startlingly original, jarringly hilarious and deeply disturbing.” John Bleasdale, Time Out @www.johnbleasdale.com Sirāt screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, May 12th, at 7.30pm. #Sirat #wffa2026

"So intense you’ll want to scarper but so riveting you can’t leave, Sirāt is an assault on the senses, mind and emotions. If only all movies took swings this bold." Ian Freer @empiremagazine.bsky.social Sirāt screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre, Waterford on Tuesday, May 12th, at 7.30pm. #wffa2026

"Adapted by Sheena Lambert from her novel The Lake, Ruán Magan’s drama boasts pedigree, handsome visuals and solid, absorbing storytelling" Tara Brady @irishtimes.com Báite (12A) opens our May film programme in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, May 5th. Advance booking online and 051 855 038.

"★★★★ Báite is an immersive rural tale with a couple of surprises up its sleeve and will keep you guessing until the end." Bren Murphy @rte.ie Báite (12A) opens our May film programme in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, May 5th. Advance booking available in-person, online & 051 855 038.

With the Japanese Film Festival put to bed for another year we return to our regular Tuesday night slot with Báite (12A), screening on May 5th. Adapted by Sheena Lambert from her novel The Lake, Báite stars Dún Garbhán's Moe Dunford. Get full details in our latest newsletter; bit.ly/May_2_26

Katsuhiro Otomo's cyberpunk classic Akira makes a welcome return to the big screen. A landmark in anime and feature length animation, Akira has lost none of its power and spectacle in the nearly 40 years since its original release. It closes out the @japanesefilmfestie.bsky.social tour for 2026.

A playful homage to J-horror films such as Ringu and Ju-On from director Kenichi Ugana, The Curse updates the classic formula for the social media age. With some suitably gnarly scares and a darkly humorous streak, this is one fans of Japanese horror cinema won’t want to miss. #jff26 #JFFIreland

The @japanesefilmfestie.bsky.social makes a welcome return to Waterford city courtesy of @accesscinema.bsky.social >CINEMA, supported by the Embassy of Japan in Ireland. The festival takes place in Garter Lane Arts Centre from April 28th to 30th. Full details in our latest newsletter; bit.ly/JFF_26

"★★★★★ For all its showmanship, exquisite period details and flashy Tarantino-style denouement, Filho’s film never loses its profound emotional ache, or the central idea — that the departing dictatorship left behind an entire population in a state of trauma." Kevin Maher @thetimes.com

"It’s not just a thriller. This is a film intimately concerned with identity and lineage, with what has been forgotten and what needs to be remembered. Go see it." David Sexton, The New Statesman @newstatesman1913.bsky.social The Secret Agent (15A) screens in Garter Lane on Tuesday, April 21st.

"The period detail is a marvel, the era’s music a most excellent groove, and the cast a top-to-bottom wowzer of interesting faces and eclectic bodies." Kimberley Jones @austinchronicle.bsky.social The Secret Agent (15A) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, April 21st, at 7.30pm.

"A top-notch political thriller. It's layered, absorbing, and also has a lot of humanity amidst the twists and turns." @claudiapuig.bsky.social Film Week @laist.com With four Oscar nominations, The Secret Agent (15A) is a must see on the big screen. Catch it in Garter Lane on Tues, April 21st.

We're delighted to see @japanesefilmfestie.bsky.social returning again to Waterford. The festival runs in Garter Lane Arts Centre from April 28th to 30th. Full programme and booking details; garterlane.ie/events/?even... #jff2026 #japanesefilmfestival #waterford #kokuho #Akira #TheCurse

"From the pastoral beauty of its opening sequence to the gut punch of its last, Hadi’s film is an exceptional screen debut, as perceptive as it is kinetic and, with one eye on the bombers overhead, brimming with life." Sheri Linden @thr.com The President's Cake screens April 7th. @film.curzon.com

"While 'The President’s Cake' mostly plays like a genial fairy tale, with superbly balanced humor and drama, (Hasan) Hadi is still unsparing about the ills of patriarchal society. It is a compassionate and winsome debut, packed with an unassuming punch." @tomilaffly.bsky.social @variety.com

"★★★★ This is an impressive first feature from the writer-director Hasan Hadi, a sharply observed, bittersweet, child’s-eye odyssey that avoids cute-kid cliches." @wendyide.bsky.social @theobserveruk.bsky.social The President's Cake (12A) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, April 7th

Our spring season concluded last night with the heartwarming and thought provoking The Kitchen Brigade. Fret not, movie fans and cinema lovers, our summer season opens in Garter Lane next Tuesday, April 7th, with The President's Cake (12A). #wffa2026 #wffasummer26 #ThePresidentsCake

Our latest newsletter has details of the films coming to Garter Lane Arts Centre in April; bit.ly/Apr_26 You can find out more about The Kitchen Brigade (NC) screening on March 31st, and the film review Haiku challenge to win a pass to the Japanese Film Festival. #Haiku #TheSecretAgent #Kokuho

"Despite its weighty political statement, this entertaining film is sweet and charming as a result of a solid story, a likeable cast of characters, and a kindhearted sensibility that’s cozy and comfortable." Louisa Moore, Screen Zealots The Kitchen Brigade screens on Tuesday, March 31st, at 7.30pm.

"The Kitchen Brigade tells us to take risks, be brave, and cook like hell along the way." Parker Whitmore, Film Threat The Kitchen Brigade screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, March 31st, at 7.30pm. Advance booking available in-person, online and 051 855 038. #labrigade #wffa2026

Cathy is a sous-chef wanting to open a restaurant. With financial difficulties, she accepts a job at a shelter for young migrants. At first she hates the job then her passion for cuisine starts to change young lives. The Kitchen Brigade screens on Tuesday, March 31st. @tullstories.bsky.social

Charming, and brilliantly performed by a talented ensemble cast, The Kitchen Brigade packs mouth-watering food, big laughs and a valuable message into its runtime. The Kitchen Brigade (NC) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, March 31st, at 7.30pm. @tullstories.bsky.social #wffa2026

"You won’t find a more stressful cinematic rollercoaster this year—and its haunting finale continues to linger long after the credits roll." Filipe Freitas, Always Good Movies Late Shift (12A) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, March 24th, at 7.30pm. @vertigorel.bsky.social #wffa2026

"★★★★ This is one of the performances of the year from Benesch" Harry Guerin, RTÉ Late Shift (12A) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, March 24th, at 7.30pm. Advance booking available in-person, online and 051 855 038. #leoniebenesch #petravolpe #wffa2026 @vertigorel.bsky.social

"The wiry and intense physicality that Benesch brought to her role as a newbie schoolteacher in The Teachers’ Lounge finds new depths in her Late Shift performance." Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter Late Shift (12A) screens in Garter Lane, Waterford, March 24th at 7.30pm @vertigorel.bsky.social

After a break for St. Patrick's Day, our next film is Late Shift (12A) on March 24th. Featuring a stunning performance from Leonie Benesch (The Teachers' Lounge) as Floria, a dedicated nurse, as she navigates the relentless pace on a surgical ward with unwavering dedication. #wffa2026 #wffaspring26

“Donncha Gilmore’s debut feature has a tender regard for its imperfect characters and boasts performances that encourage investment in the fate of the central couple.” Allan Hunter, @screendaily.bsky.social Girls & Boys (15A) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, March 10th, at 7.30pm.

"cinematographer Fionnuala McCormack's rendering of Halloween night in Dublin city … is maybe the most beautiful Ireland’s capital has ever looked on screen." Stephen Porzio @joedotie.bsky.social Girls & Boys (15A) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, March 10th, at 7.30pm. #wffa2026

“★★★★ [A] wildly impressive debut… The script feels lived-in, spontaneous and unguarded.” Tara Brady @irishtimes.com Girls & Boys (15A) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, March 10th, at 7.30pm. Advance booking available in-person, online and 051 855 038. #Girls&Boys #wffa2026

"With a pitch-perfect central pairing, sharp dialogue, beautiful visuals and essential subject matter, Girls & Boys is simply a cinematic must-see." Matthew Briody, @filmireland.bsky.social Girls & Boys (15A) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, March 10th, at 7.30pm. #wffa2026

Our spring season continues in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, March 10th, with Girls & Boys (15A), a Trinity College set drama about two students from opposite ends of the campus who make a connection over Halloween. You can find out further details in our latest newsletter; bit.ly/M_rch26

Trinity College students Charlie and Jace meet at a Halloween party. Despite very different social groups and interests, they immediately hit it off. When the party ends abruptly, the pair embark on an impromptu walk around Dublin. Girls & Boys (15A) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on March 10th.

Reinsve is immaculately attuned to Trier’s energy, and Sentimental Value is carried by the manic frustration she brings to her part.” @davidehrlich.bsky.social @indiewire.com Sentimental Value (15A) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, March 3rd. #SentimentalVale #wffa2026 #wffaspring26

"Skarsgård is magnificent as the charismatic, unreliable Gustav, but the film’s secret weapon is Elle Fanning’s hapless US starlet." @wendyide.bsky.social @theobserveruk.bsky.social Sentimental Value (15A) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, March 3rd. #wffa2026 #wffaspring26

"★★★★★ It is the stunning performances of the central cast, and a heavy dose of warm, effortless humour that make Sentimental Value feel like a refreshing shower at the end of a mixed cinematic year." @brenmurphy.bsky.social @rte.ie Screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, March 3rd.

Director Joachim Trier’s highly anticipated follow-up to The Worst Person in the World is a richly-drawn family drama reminiscent of classic Scandinavian cinema, featuring powerhouse performances from an Oscar nominated cast. Sentimental Value (15A) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre, March 3rd.

With a whopping nine Oscar nominations, Sentimental Value (15A) is one of the most anticipated films of the past 12 months. You can see it on the big screen in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, March 3rd. Advance booking available in-person, online and 051 855 038. #wffaspring26 #wffa2026

We don't have a film on the next two Tuesdays and will return to the big screen in Garter Lane Arts Centre on March 3rd with Sentimental Value (15A). In the meantime, we recommend that you keep up your cinema going habit by checking out what's on in Movies at Dungarvan, Omniplex Cinemas and Odeon.

"Bursting with humanity and dark humor, it’s a sharply well-acted, written and directed modern thriller that grapples with urgently existential questions of justice, violence and resistance." @eclectichutch.bsky.social @seattletimes.com It Was Just an Accident (15A) screens @garterlane, Feb 10th.

"★★★★★ One of the year’s very best films." Donald Clarke, The Irish Times @irishtimes.com It Was Just an Accident (15A) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, Feb 10th, at 7.30pm. Advance booking available in-person, online & 051 855 038. #ItWasJustanAccident #JafarPanahi #wffa2026 #iran

"★★★★★ It's a beautifully-written and executed work, one of Panahi's most formally straightforward yet powerful, gripping and generous." @daveyjenkins.bsky.social @lwlies.com It Was Just an Accident (15A) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, Feb 10th, at 7.30pm. #wffa2026 #wffaspring26

"★★★★ This is one of Panahi’s best works to date. It blends the personal and political in a deeply affecting way." @lindamarric.bsky.social @thesun.co.uk It Was Just an Accident (15A) screens in @garterlane on Tuesday, Feb 10th. Advance booking available in-person, online and 051 855 038.

Winner of the Palme d'Or for best film at last year's Cannes Film Festival, It Was Just an Accident (15A) has received two Oscar nominations for Best International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay. It screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, Feb 10th, at 7.30pm #ItWasJustanAccident

“Sangare is magnetic… there appears to be no limit to how much soul and sensitivity the actor can bring” Jessica Kiang @variety.com @jessicakiang.bsky.social @conic.film Souleymane's Story screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, Feb 3rd, at 7.30pm. #wffa2026 #wffaspring26

Winner of four César awards from the French Film Academy and the Jury Prize at Cannes, Souleymane's Story (NC) is a nailbitingly tense depiction of one asylum seeker's story set on the streets of Paris. Find out more in our latest newsletter; bit.ly/Sou_man @conic.film #wffa2026 #wffaspring26

“With empathetic yet unsentimental means, Lojkine gracefully explores both the insurmountable pressures of the asylum-granting system and the precarious conditions of the gig economy.” Marina Ashioti @lwlies.com Souleymane's Story screens @garterlane on Tuesday, Feb 3rd, at 7.30pm. @conic.film

“★★★★ Souleymane’s Story is an intimate, powerful and moving chronicle of life on the margins." Tara Brady, Irish Times Souleymane's Story will be screened in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Tuesday, Feb 3rd, at 7.30pm. Advance booking available in-person, online and 051 855 038. @conic.film #wffa2026

"★★★★ Palestine 36 vividly brings the past to life" Tom Dawson @radiotimes.bsky.social Palestine 36 (15A) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Jan 20th at 7.30pm. Advance booking available in-person, online and 051 855 038. #Palestine36 #Palestine #AnnemarieJacir #wffa2026 #wffaspring26

"a handsomely mounted period piece that competently navigates its complex network of interwoven storylines." @wendyide.bsky.social @theobserveruk.bsky.social Palestine 36 (15A) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Jan 20th at 7.30pm. Advance booking available in-person, online and 051 855 038.

"This is a story of national identity and resistance with contemporary resonance, but it’s also a classic genre movie" Sheri Linden @thr.com Palestine 36 (15A) screens in Garter Lane Arts Centre on Jan 20th at 7.30pm. Advance booking available in-person, online and 051 855 038. @film.curzon.com