GALWAY FILM FAIR: KEYNOTE ADDRESS AND CASTING MASTERCLASS
Date Posted: June 24, 2025
Independent film icon Christine Vachon will be the keynote speaker at the Fleadh Forum, the Galway Film Fleadh’s annual state-of-the industry conference, supported by Screen Ireland. With her latest production THE MATERIALISTS primed to be one of the most anticipated films of the summer, Vachon’s keynote will address building and maintaining a career in independent film; discovering new talent (Vachon helped launch the careers of filmmakers Todd Haynes, Harmony Korine, Celine Song and many more); and her thoughts on the current state of the industry.
Christine Vachon is an Independent Spirit Award and Gotham Award winner who co-founded powerhouse Killer Films with partner Pamela Koffler in 1995. Over three decades, they have produced more than 100 films, including some of the most celebrated and important American independent features: KIDS, I SHOT ANDY WARHOL, HAPPINESS, BOYS DON’T CRY, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, FAR FROM HEAVEN, ONE HOUR PHOTO, STILL ALICE, CAROL, BEATRIZ AT DINNER, and DARK WATERS. In television, Vachon executive-produced the Emmy and Golden Globe-awarded miniseries MILDRED PIERCE for HBO as well as the Emmy Award-winning limited series HALSTON for Netflix. Recent releases include Todd Haynes’ MAY DECEMBER (Netflix), starring Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, and Celine Song’s PAST LIVES (A24), which marks her first Oscar nomination in the Best Picture category.
Meanwhile, the Fleadh’s annual series of Masterclasses has added a Casting Masterclass, to be delivered by a trio of Ireland’s leading casting directors: Louise Kiely, Luci Lenox and Maureen Hughes.
Maureen Hughes, who over the past twenty years has worked with writer/directors, Martin McDonagh, Sam Shepherd, Paolo Sorrentino, Jim Sheridan and Werner Herzog, has recently worked on THE APPRENTICE with the subject of the Fleadh’s Director’s Masterclass, Ali Abbassi.
Louise Kiely’s TV credits include NORMAL PEEOPLE (Hulu/RTÉ), KIN (Bron Studios/RTÉ), BODKIN (Netflix), THE DRY (ITVX/RTÉ) & FAITHLESS (Virgin Media). Her film credits include: FOUR MOTHERS (Port Pictures), BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (Searchlight), DISENCHANTED (Disney) & SING STREET (FilmNation).
Luci Lenox is an award-winning Irish casting director based in Spain. She has cast over 120 productions for clients such as Netflix, Amazon, Disney and Lionsgate as well as for many independent European film producers, with her films collectively grossing over a billion dollars at the global box office and winning 300+ awards at international festivals. Luci mentors and advocates for actors through The Actors Home, the industry platform she founded.
Hughes, Kiely and Lenox will use practical examples to show what they look for in self-tapes, and will explore their broad experiences across film, TV, and theatre; from major US productions to independent features and series from Europe. The masterclass will also cover the business of being an actor including negotiations, online profiles, contracts, streaming rights and more.
The masterclass costs €50 and will take place on Saturday 12th July from 2pm-5pm in the Galmont Hotel, Galway. To apply for a place, email [email protected].
Ticket registration, and the full line-up of speakers, for the 2025 Fleadh Forum are set to be announced on July 26th at www.galwayfilmfleadh.com/filmfair.
The Fleadh Forum and the Casting Masterclass are Screen Ireland supported events, taking place as part of the wider Galway Film Fair, the Galway Film Fleadh’s industry market which encompasses marketplace meetings and networking events with international financiers, sales agents, distributors, broadcasters, and producers.
