The three-day event, Women in Film and Television International (WIFTI) Summit, was launched to a packed audience during the Cannes film festival.

DR SUSAN Liddy, a lecturer in Mary Immaculate College and Director of Catalyst International Film Festival in Limerick launched a major event to a packed audience during the Cannes film Festival.  

The video presentation accompanying Dr Liddy’s formal invitation to the global screen sector, facilitated by Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau and Meet in Ireland, put the spotlight on the beauty of our landscape, our storytelling tradition and the facilities on offer in the region.

The Women in Film and Television International (WIFTI) Summit will be held in Woodlands House Hotel, Adare, from February 4 to February 7, 2026.

Delegates will travel from all over Europe and as far afield as New Zealand, Australia, India, the US, Africa and Jamacia.

The three-day event will facilitate dynamic conversations, creative exchange, co-production opportunities and action-driven advocacy, all aimed at advancing women and careers in the global screen industries.

Dr Liddy said: “I’m delighted to bring this important international event to Ireland and my own home county, particularly to the picturesque village of Adare.

“Over three exciting days, we’ll connect, collaborate, and celebrate women’s achievements across the global screen industries and chart a dynamic and transformative future together.”

Paul C. Ryan, Regional Film Manager, Film in Limerick was among the invited guests at the

launch in the Irish Pavilion in Cannes. He commented:

“We’re delighted to welcome the Women in Film and TV International Summit to Limerick, a major milestone for the Mid-West as our screen industry continues to thrive across Limerick, Tipperary, and Clare.

“This summit not only shines a spotlight on global talent, but also honours the tireless work of Susan Liddy, President of WIFTI and a proud Limerick woman, whose leadership, through WIFTI and the Catalyst International Film Festival, has been instrumental in challenging under-representation on screen and behind the camera, and in championing gender equality, diversity, and inclusion in the industry.”

Dr Liddy is President of WIFTI, the international network, and chair of Women in Film and Television Ireland (WFT). The network has more than 57 chapters and affiliates across the world and summit delegates will comprise professionals working across a range of roles in the sector such as screenwriters, directors, producers, cinematographers, editors and a wide spectrum of crew roles.

They will be joined by key industry executives, film commissioners, advocates, educationalists among others, with a sprinkle of celebrity in the mix. 

The Summit will create a space for networking and offer opportunities for interactive discussions and collaborations and will celebrate and showcase Irish culture and entertainment.

By Kayley Hardiman, Limerick Leader. kayley.hardiman@limerickleader.ie

Picture: Karen Needham, Col Needham, CEO IMBD), Dr Susan Liddy President Women in Film and Television International and Siobhan Farrell, Eclipse Pictures and Vice Chair of WFT Ireland