Galway Film Society launches its Autumn/Winter 2026 season

Colours of Time

Four distant cousins, all descendants of a woman called Adèle Meunier, are brought together in Normandy by the unexpected inheritance of their ancestor’s house. They must clean out the property, which has been abandoned since 1944. As they sift through old photos and letters, they imagine Adèle’s life as she moves to a vibrant Paris of 1895.

The Cycle of Love

The extraordinary true story of PK, a 23-year-old street artist from Delhi who sets off with a handful of paint brushes and a second-hand bicycle on a 6,000-mile journey across Europe and Asia to find Lotta, the woman who captured his heart during her visit to India. Convinced their meeting was fate, PK embarks on a leap of faith that becomes a journey of love, identity and transformation.

Preceded by the short Blackrock (15 min): a late summer’s day at one of Galway Bay’s most iconic spots, observing the swimmers, the sea and the rhythms of a much-loved local ritual.

My Father’s Shadow

Whilst their mother is away in the village, young Nigerian brothers Remi and Akin are taken by surprise when their often-absent father Folarin arrives home. Their surprise turns to excitement when he suggests they accompany him to Lagos for the day, as he needs to collect a long-overdue salary. The trip becomes a journey of discovery.

The Stranger

The latest film from François Ozon (The Crime Is Mine, Frantz) is a faithful adaptation of Albert Camus’ iconic novel, in which an unassuming young man kills an Arab acquaintance in 1930s Algiers. Shot in pristine black and white, it picked up Best Film, Best Actor and Best Cinematography at France’s recent Lumière Awards.

Just an Illusion

The directors of The Intouchables return with this funny, charming 1980s-set coming-of-age film. 13-year-old Vincent lives in a suburban apartment block with his parents and older brother. His father Yves has recently lost his job but is hiding the fact, while Vincent and his friends experience the highs and lows of early adolescence, including Vincent’s first crush.

Cactus Pears

Following his father’s death, Anand, a thirty-something Mumbai call-centre worker, returns to his ancestral village with his mother to observe the ten-day mourning ritual. Struggling with grief and the extended family’s questions about his unmarried status, he reconnects with Balya, a single farmer and childhood friend. The two men quickly form a deeper bond.

Blue Heron

Vancouver Island in the 1990s. Eight-year-old Sasha’s parents have moved the family from Hungary to Canada. As Sasha and her siblings enjoy their new surroundings, their parents grow increasingly concerned about the unpredictable behaviour of their eldest son, Jeremy, and Sasha struggles to understand what’s unfolding around her.

Preceded by the short WildKind (7 min): a beautifully painted, poetic journey of hope and healing, bringing together three generations of women, voiced in English, Irish and Arabic.

DJ Ahmet

Ahmet, a 15-year-old boy from a remote Yörük village in North Macedonia, finds refuge in music while navigating his father’s expectations, a conservative community, and his first experience of love, with a girl already promised to someone else.

All That’s Left of You

In the Occupied West Bank of the 1980s, Palestinian teenager Noor is swept into a protest that changes the course of his family’s life. His mother, Hanan, shares the story that led to that fateful moment. Cherien Dabis directs and stars in this deeply moving epic of a Palestinian family over seven decades.

Amélie

A very special Yuletide finale. To close the season in festive style, we present the 25th-anniversary cinema re-release of Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s irresistible modern classic and all-time audience favourite. A little Parisian magic, romance and joie de vivre to see us into Christmas.