This year’s programme travels from Luxembourg to Bangladesh, from Mexico to China, and back home to Ireland.

At Trinity College Dublin

• Mon 9 Nov, 19:00: Opening night with the Irish premiere of CHILD by Cyrus Neshvad, Luxembourg’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards
• Tue 10 Nov, 19:00: About My Mom by Soner Sert (Irish premiere)
• Wed 11 Nov, 19:00: Authentic Worlds, a free production design masterclass with BAFTA and IFTA-winning production designer Anna Rackard
• Thu 12 Nov, 19:00: Glorious Summer by Helena Ganjalyan and Bartosz Szpak (Irish premiere, shot on 16mm)
• Fri 13 Nov, 19:00: International Shorts, seven films from Japan, China, the USA, Poland, the Netherlands and Canada
• Sat 14 Nov, 09:00: New Irish Shorts, thirteen new Irish films, seven of them by student filmmakers

Online, 9 to 15 November

Most of this year’s films stream on Silk Road ON DEMAND, including features and documentaries you can only see online: The Blind Girl and an Elephant, winner of a Golden Goblet at the Shanghai International Film Festival; Those Who Whistle After Dark, winner of Best Actress at the Istanbul Film Festival; A Bigger Place; Budapest Diaries; and Texas Ollie. Available to watch in Ireland.

See the full programme and book tickets

The masterclass is supported by Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland. Screenings hosted at Trinity College Dublin. Festival poster by João Fonseca.

Wednesday 11 November 2026, 19:00

Swift Lecture Theatre, Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin (enter from Nassau Street)

Free entry, registration essential

Register free on Eventbrite

Discover how a production designer transforms a script into a fully realized cinematic world. In this masterclass, production designer Anna Rackard shares her creative process – from initial script analysis and research to developing a distinct visual language. Learn how she collaborates with her creative team to build authentic, atmospheric, character-driven spaces.

Using case studies from her own extensive work in both period and contemporary drama, Anna will break down how specific design choices—including colour palette, texture, and props – shape tone and mood and enhance character and story.

The presentation is followed by an audience Q&A.

Suitable for: Aspiring production designers, film students, and industry professionals looking to deepen their understanding of the craft.

About Anna Rackard

Anna Rackard’s film career spans over 30 years, during which she has collaborated with directors including Lenny Abrahamson, Neil Jordan, Nicolas Roeg, and Whit Stillman. A member of AMPAS (the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences), she received a Children’s Craft Team BAFTA in 2025 for her work on The Velveteen Rabbit. She also won Irish Film & Television Awards in 2010 and 2012 for her design work on Ondine and Stella Days, respectively.

Part of the 14th Silk Road International Film Festival, 9 to 15 November 2026. Supported by Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland. Hosted at Trinity College Dublin.