The festival, in the Mizen peninsula village of Schull, runs from May 23 for five days and, since its inception, has emerged as a major showcase for Irish and international short film production.

Innovative organisers who established in a fishing village with no cinema will also run a series of seminars, masterclasses and workshops in various locations, including an island.

Stunt acting, screenwriting, casting, auditioning, creating content on mobile phones, acting, special effects, funding, distribution, and more will be covered in the classes and workshops.

Fringe events include a filmmakers’ hub, live music, drama, book readings, movie quizzes, and free family entertainment.

Along with Puttnam, Sheridan, and Abrahamson, there will be more than 60 special guests who will include Ken Wardrop and Lance Daly. Actress and comedienne Deirdre O’Kane will host the film quiz.

Feature film to competition shorts and local interest films to world cinema programmes are among 400-plus screenings. They will include Black 47, Killing of a Sacred Deer, Making the Grade, Song of Granite, The Breadwinner, and Michael Inside.

Guests at the festival may visit the most isolated cinema in Ireland — Uncle Joe’s Cabin can be accessed by a 10-minute ferry ride to Long Island, followed by a two-minute walk. Refreshments will be followed by an hour-long programme there.

The official launch of the programme of events took place at the Crane Lane Theatre, Cork, with speakers including festival chairperson Pauline Cotter, noted casting director Maureen Hughes, and novelist Pat McCabe.

Also in attendance to celebrate the huge success of the festival were directors Ken Wardrop and Myles O’Reilly and producer John Kelleher while stunt actor Peter Dillon, who will run several stunt workshops at the festival, arrived in Vikingscostume to add a little drama to the event.

Several clips of short films submitted to the competition were screened as a prequel to the festival.

Ms Cotter said the festival would not be possible without the support of their sponsors.

“A big thank you goes out to the village of Schull for providing an idyllic setting for what is now an internationally acclaimed film festival and for the outstanding encouragement and enthusiasm of the community toward this event,” she said.