THIS WEEKEND - Five-day film festival in Leitrim and Sligo celebrates European and North West filmmaking

The Adaptation Film Festival will return to Leitrim and Sligo this September, with its 13th edition bringing an expanded international programme to the North West.

Running from September 16 to 20, the five-day festival will feature screenings, workshops and conversations exploring the relationship between literature and cinema, with events taking place at The Glens Arts Centre in Manorhamilton and the Model Cinema in Sligo.

For the first time in its 13-year history, the festival is taking a pronounced international turn, while continuing its focus on Irish screen adaptations and filmmaking emerging from the North West.

A major focus of this year's programme will be the work of Oscar-winning German filmmaker Volker Schlöndorff, whose career has spanned six decades. Schlöndorff is one of the major figures of post-war European cinema and is particularly associated with literary adaptations. The festival will celebrate a selection of his key adaptation work before culminating in a special event featuring writer Colm Tóibín in conversation with the acclaimed director.

The discussion will bring together the two friends and collaborators and will close this year's festival.

Cypriot cinema will also feature prominently in the programme, reflecting Leitrim's focus on Cyprus as part of the Irish EU Presidency.

Audiences will have an opportunity to see work by Cypriot filmmaker Myrsini Aristidou, whose latest film was a winner at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.

Closer to home, pioneering Irish filmmaker Pat Murphy will revisit her work around James Joyce and the challenges and possibilities involved in bringing literature to the screen.

Murphy emerged as a significant voice for women in Irish filmmaking during the 1980s and has remained an important figure in independent Irish cinema.

As well as taking part in the festival programme, she will deliver a workshop focusing on collaboration in filmmaking.

The North West will be firmly represented from the opening night, when Adaptation presents a series of short film adaptations created by filmmakers from North Leitrim.

Organisers say the programme deliberately brings the local and international together, placing work produced in the region alongside films and filmmakers from across Europe.

Adaptation is presented by Cinema North West and Bandit Films in association with The Glens Arts Centre and Sligo Film Society.

Individual film admission costs €10, or €8 concession, with a €1 booking fee, while workshops cost €20.

A €50 season ticket provides admission to all films as well as one pre-booked workshop. Workshop places must be reserved separately after purchasing the season ticket by contacting [email protected].

All bookings are being handled through The Glens Arts Centre.

Festival organisers are also reminding audiences to check their tickets carefully before travelling, as events will be divided between The Glens Arts Centre in Manorhamilton and the Model Cinema in Sligo.

The 13th Adaptation Film Festival runs from Wednesday, September 16 to Sunday, September 20.