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About Irish Screen America

About Us

Irish Screen America supports and guides Irish media-makers by showcasing their work and fostering partnerships in the two largest cities for the entertainment industry in the United States – New York and Los Angeles. The organization holds screenings, industry panels, discussions and master classes throughout the year.

In New York, the annual film festival will be held at New York University’s Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Film Center. In Los Angeles the film festival will be held at the Harmony Gold Theater.

Irish Screen America is run by Screen America Inc. a non-profit organization. The festival was founded by Irish filmmaker and producer and Niall McKay.

 

 

“The IFB welcomes  the launch of Irish Screen America and we are delighted that the essential work already accomplished by Irish Film New York to support, showcase and celebrate Irish films and filmmaking talent will now extend to Los Angeles. We look forward to working with Irish Screen America in an effort to continue this work and build new networks, partnerships and audiences for Irish film.” said Teresa McGrane, Deputy CEO, Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB)

Festival & Screening Info

Los Angeles:
Irish Screen America
October

New York:
Irish Screen America
October
Cantor Film Center, New York

The Irish Screen America Team

Niall McKay

Executive Director and Programmer

William Fitzgerald

Now the programmer of the Galway International Film Festival

Roisin Geraghty

Eibh Collins

Deputy Director

Rachel Rath

Marissa Aroy

Deputy Director-Administrator

Shauna Farrell

Clodagh Bowyer

Irish Screen America Advisory Board

Sarah Wilkinson Reynolds

Sarah Wilkinson Reynolds spent her career at the New York Times where, among other positions, she was the Managing Director of Entertainment Advertising, at the time a $200mm revenue source.  In this capacity, she oversaw the publishing of the Arts and Leisure section and the Friday Weekend section.  She was awarded 2 Publisher Awards; the first for her contribution to creating a marketplace for the independent film industry and the second for the creation of the now yearly event, “Broadway on Broadway”, currently known as “Stars on Broadway”.  In addition, she brought the NYT onboard as an early sponsor for both the Sundance Film Festival and the Independent Film Project.  In 1992, she was presented with the New York Times Sales Leadership Award.  

Over her 14-year career she also spent time in the Book Review and Magazine. Sarah is married with four children and lives in Harrison, New York, and has been active in various charities and school programs since. 

David Donoghue

From 2009 to August 2013, Ambassador Donoghue was the Political Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Dublin. He presented credentials to the UN Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon on 13th September 2013 and now serves as Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. He is advising Irish Screen America on grants from the Ireland Department of Foreign Affairs. 

Eoin Egan

Eoin is currently a producer on TV series “Nightflyers” for NBC and Netflix, he is also Exec Producer for long form and branded content at Harbor Picture Company in New York.  Egan is advising Irish Screen America on potential filmmakers and actors to invite to our screenings. 

Vincent Parker

Vincent Parker is the Strategy Director for an Advisory, Strategy and Communications Agency based in New York City. Prior to 2015, for 7 years, he was a senior advisor in the Office of the First and deputy First Minister in the Northern Ireland Government.  Parker is advising us on the development and funding side of the project. 

Naomi Sheridan

Naomi Sheridan’s first screenplay was “In America” a film she co-wrote with her father, Jim, and sister, Kirsten. The screenplay was nominated for numerous awards including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, the WGA award and the Humanitas award. It went on to win the Critics Choice award and the National Board of Review award. Sheridan is advising us on the filmmaker/writer side of collaboration with Irish Screen America. 

 

Special Thanks

Irish Screen America is built on the good work of  Los Angeles Irish Film Festival co-founder and director Lisa McLaughlin.  We are also grateful for the support and guidance of Pascal Ladreyt, Marcus J. Fox and Tara Halloran.

Sponsors and Partners

Irish Screen America could not exist without the generous donations and support of our sponsors and partners in Ireland and the US.  Please go to our sponsorship page for more information.