LC & GCOF 48 Hr Challenge

SAVE THE DATE!!

The Little Cinema & Galway City of Film 48 Hour Challenge will take place this Summer on 22nd to 25th August! We’re back bigger and better, including as many of the great feedback suggestions from last year’s Challenge that we could.

The launch will be on Thurs 22nd August in the Portershed and the screening will be in the Town Hall Theatre on Sun 25th August. Applications will open on Monday 29th July and close on Wednesday 14th August. 

We will have a Networking night ahead of the 48 Hour applications opening for those who want to join or form a team on Thursday 18th July.

This is the eight annual 48 Hour Challenge and another chance for filmmaking teams from around the country to come to Galway City & County to test their filmmaking skills to the max!  10 teams will take part in the Challenge, with the task of conceiving, writing, shooting and editing a 5 minute film in just 48 Hours.

Each team of up to 10 people will have to make the film incorporating an assigned line, prop and genre, with the added rule of also including a specific shot type. A team of industry experts will choose the Best Film which will win the top prize of €500, a place at the Galway Film Fleadh 2024 and a TG4 sponsored hoodie for each team member. The natural incorporation of the prop, line, shot and genre will be heavily weighted by the judges when deciding on prizes. There will also be awards for Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Costume, Best Make up, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Writing, Best Use of Line, Best Use of Prop, Best Music Score, Best Sound Design, Filmmakers Choice Award and an Audience Award.

Previous Winners

The winning films from the previous 48 Hour Challenges can be found here:

2017 The Postcard by Team Hasty Fellows 
2018 Connection Interrupted by Team Timo 
2019 Loving Alex by Team 48 Hours of Friendship 
2020 House of a Thousand Eyes by The People’s Republic of Cinema  
2021 Whale Fall by Team Hardback Films & Co.  
2022 Juniper – by Team The Unmentionablès
2023 Ballast – by Team Máirtín’s Tail (Scheduled to screen at Galway Film Fleadh 2024)

Questions and queries can be sent to [email protected]

The Little Cinema & Galway City of Film 48 Hour Challenge is an initiative of the Galway City of Film and is funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.