NYWIFT Blog

By Terry Greenberg

I had the pleasure of meeting Galway Film Fleadh Programming Director Maeve McGrath when I attended the festival this past Summer.

From Limerick, Ireland, Maeve studied Theatre Studies at Trinity College. A Licentiate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, she graduated from GMIT where she studied Television Production and Development. Maeve has a Master’s in Media Studies from Mary I/UL and was Joint Winner of the Irish Times Theatre Award Judges’ Special Award in 2015.

Currently Director of Programming at the Galway Film Fleadh, Maeve is an arts producer and festival programmer working in all aspects of film, TV, and theatre for over 25 years. Maeve is a professional actress with recent roles including Conveyance, Bad Sisters, Valley of the Squinting Windows, WAVE, and Brooklyn. As one half of award-winning film production company, Dromglen Productions, she co-produces narrative and documentary films, including award-winning PADDY, Medjugorje Man, and Being Put Back Together. The company is currently in development with two feature films.

 Maeve sat down with me to discuss her advice for creatives and her path in the industry in the latest edition of “What’s in Your Toolkit?”

Maeve McGrath (Photo Credit: Aidan O’Connor)

What is the one thing you can’t live without during your day on the job?

Coffee. There is a great coffee shop opposite our office called GRIND, and that is my go-to place for coffee.

What do you love most about your job?

I get to see so many films from around the world and then meet the brilliant filmmakers. It is a joy to know that a film that you have watched at a festival far away will be screened in Galway for the local audience.

What is the most challenging part of your job? 

We can’t screen every film that we watch. The Fleadh runs for six days, and even with four screens on the go at any time, we always have to make tough decisions. It is really difficult to see a film that you have loved and advocated for, a film that has been on our long list for a while, not make the final selection. The sheer volume of films submitted to us means that not every film will be selected. That is really difficult.

What is the most rewarding part of the job? 

When I pick up the phone and call a director to let them know that they will be screening at the Fleadh. Especially when it is a debut filmmaker. And then to meet them at the screening and celebrate that moment with them. That is a joy.

Maeve McGrath and Tim Roth at the Poison screening at the 2024 Galway Film Fleadh (Photo credit: Brigid Vinnell

What is your usual or favorite food/nourishment when you are on the job?  What nourishes you in general – creatively or otherwise? 

I am a fan of chowder and when I am in Galway, I head to Tigh Neachtain’s on Quay St. I usually find a quiet snug and order their chowder and a pint of water. Especially if I have forgotten to hydrate during the day. When I attend festivals, it is usually grab and go, although I try to make time for a decent dinner in the evenings. In Berlin when I attend the Berlinale, I love the Manifesto Market, where I look for good hearty food.

Walking and being in nature is a nourishment of sorts for me. I would rather buy a pair of walking boots than a new dress. Walking allows me time to think, to breathe, and to pack the day away. I sometimes listen to a podcast or to music as I walk, but often, it is just me and my thoughts.

What do you do to de-stress from the job?

Walking and gardening. I live in the middle of Co.Limerick, a beautiful rural area in the Golden Vale. When I come home at night, I will usually take a 5K walk and try and tackle my overgrown garden.

You are a woman of many talents and hats – actress, writer, producer, film programmer – and have enjoyed such a rich and varied career thus far! Do you love each of these equally, or is there one that is nearest and dearest to your heart, and why? How have all of these different jobs within the entertainment industry informed each other throughout your career? Did you move organically from one to the other? 

I grew up in the theatre. My Mam and Dad were involved in amateur drama (community drama) and did the All Ireland circuit every year. My Dad was a builder and worked really hard and the theatre was a release for him. So I found myself in theatres a lot as I was growing up and when it came to decide on college, I had a brilliant career guidance teacher who suggested the Theatre Studies course at the Samuel Beckett Centre at Trinity College. I never imagined that I would get in but I auditioned anyway, got in and my parents supported me the whole way.

It was a hard slog; we didn’t have a lot of money, and the fees were a lot, but my parents made it work. So, I have never taken for granted how lucky I was to have that time to immerse myself in the theatre, studying the likes of Tennessee Williams, Shakespeare and Frank Wedekind.

When college finished, I worked in theatre, television, and film for many years. In college, we had been trained to create our own work, so over time, I moved into producing and writing which I still love doing. I went back to college to do my Masters in Media Studies and from there I moved in to festival producing and programming.

So, I juggle all my various hats now! With Dromglen Productions, after many years making short films, we are moving into feature films. I am still acting, writing, producing, and learning.

What’s the best piece of advice someone gave you about navigating the entertainment industry, and/or what’s the best advice you would give someone starting out? 

Well, I think it is actually something that I often apply to life and my work and that is, that you will never know everything. There is always room for growth, for learning and up-skilling. I am always looking at ways to grow in my work.

I go to watch theatre and I remember how much I love the arts. I learn from watching films, from listening to filmmakers discuss their work. I adore the library and have a massive ‘to be read’ pile on my kitchen table that I will never get through, but I still read a chapter every now and then. I think if you are interested in the arts, in a career in the arts, then you have to immerse yourself in it, learn from those around you, and listen.

I also encourage filmmakers who are selected for the Fleadh to watch other films at the Fleadh. Don’t just come and watch your own; take the opportunity to see films from around the world and be inspired.

The Galway Film Fleadh is a long-time beloved film festival, and the film line-up looks fantastic this year! What do you hope will resonate with your audiences, and what would you like them to take away from the festival this year?

This year was an excellent year for film in general, and selecting the program was tough. From a program of 97 feature films, we had 45 Irish features at the Fleadh this year, which was record-breaking for us.

We also had double the Irish language content this year, with 11 Irish language features, and the audience wants to see Irish language films, so we are eager to see Irish language productions multiply. We had a brilliant strand of Independent films from the US this year.

The International Independent Film Award was won by a great indie film, Adult Children. Our audience is keen to see films that they would not normally see at a large cinema chain, and so we look for films that will engage the Galway audience and the incoming industry guests.

There are so many film festivals in the world these days!  What do you think is special about the Fleadh and sets it apart from the others?

I think the Fleadh doesn’t have ‘notions’ about itself. We don’t do red carpets; filmmakers turn up, we take photos, they introduce the film, and we have a post-show discussion. Then, everyone gathers at the festival club at the Rowing club, and the audience and industry guests meet, network, and get to know each other.

Galway is a walkable city, so the audience and industry spent the week of the Fleadh walking the city between the main venues and then relaxing in the evening. Rain or shine, the Fleadh is the place to be when July comes around for the film industry.

Connect with Maeve McGrath on Instagram at @maebhmcg and see more about her work in IMDb.  

Learn more about the Galway Film Fleadh.

(Images courtesy of Maeve McGrath)