IFTA Screen: Dynamic | Diverse

The Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA), in partnership with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) present IFTA Screen: Dynamic | Diverse.

This unique morning event takes place on Thursday, December 1st at the Light House Cinema, Dublin. The Forum will feature inspiring discussions, insights, sharing of international knowledge and best practice with industry professionals and guests from diverse backgrounds across film, television, academia and more. This inaugural Forum kick-starts a series of events across this topic throughout 2023 (the Academy's 20th Anniversary Year).

IFTA SCREEN: DYNAMIC | DIVERSE is a Forum of events, discussions & engagement that encourage artistic development across diverse communities within the screen industries, exploring visibility and representation, and looking to Best International Practice in this area.  IFTA will bring together inspiring talent, key decision makers and influential thought leaders within Film and TV, to champion and showcase diversity and inclusion in the Irish screen industry. 

Participants and key organisations within the sector will receive concrete takeaways and learnings from these discussions, and gain direct and meaningful engagement with the work being undertaken for diverse communities accessing the screen sector. 

Registration on the day will begin at 9 AM. The first panel, "Seen and Heard" will kick off at 9.30 AM and conclude at 11 AM. This panel will feature speakers Demi Isaac Oviawe, Joshua Donoghue, Marissa Aroy, Ryan Lincoln and will be moderated by Maureen Hughes. The second panel, focused on Best International Practice, will take place from 11 AM to 12 PM, and feature speakers Iyare Igiehon and Dr Zélie Asava. From 12 PM until 1 PM there will be a networking lunch.

Confirmed Speakers

Dr Zélie Asava is a lecturer, author and public speaker on race, gender and representation in screen studies. Her first book, “The Black Irish Onscreen: Representing Black and Mixed-Race Identities in Irish Film and Television”, is the first major study of black and mixed-race themes in Irish Screen Studies. She is the driving force behind a series of projects focused on questions of race, gender and visual culture in Ireland and beyond.

Iyare Igiehon is the Creative Diversity Partner at the BBC. As such, he is responsible for supporting the commissioning teams and independent suppliers to drive change, increase representation and ensure the BBC delivers against its strategic goals and public purpose with a particular focus on the BBC’s 20% diversity target and commitment to £100m of diverse programming. His career has taken in a number roles often with a focus on black culture and entertainment.

Maureen Hughes is one of Ireland's most renowned casting directors for stage and screen, and has found talent for projects including Love/Hate, Once, Doineann and Taken Down, as well as being a major part of the RTE series John Connors' Acting Academy. She has spoken about the importance of diverse casting for Irish projects and brings to this event decades of experience with finding fresh, dynamic talent representing the full spectrum of Irish society.


Ryan Lincoln is best known for his role as Kem in the hit RTE drama Kin. In addition to roles in titles such as the record-breaking Cardboard Gangsters, award-winning crime drama Broken Law, Aoife McArdle's Kissing Candice, and Frank Berry's Michael Inside, Ryan is also a member of Dublin hip hop group 5’th Element whose debut album State of Mind 2.0 picked up rave reviews. Having grown up in Ballymun, Ryan has been open about the lack of famous Irish people of colour when he was growing up.

Demi Isaac Oviawe is best known for her role as Linda in The Young Offenders. Demi most recently played the role of Anadil in Paul Feig’s feature The School for Good and Evil (Netflix), and is currently filming the role of Aoife in the TV series Holding directed by Kathy Burke for ITV. She has previously been vocal about her experience of acting as a young woman of colour.


Joshua Donoghue is a writer, producer and actor, who has made a number of acclaimed short films which have been on the festival circuit. These include Pile Up, Mary Martin & Ben, and John Boy,and most recently Agape, as part of Screen Ireland’s Actor as Creator programme. Agape follows a young Traveller Women who is forced into a marriage to a man she can't love, while the Women she does love is forced to watch everything unfold. Joshua also hosts the popular podcast series Dead On.

Marissa Aroy is a Filipino-American director and producer. She directed the documentaries Sikhs in America, which received an Emmy award for "Best Historical Programme", and The Delano Manongs. Aroy is also co-founder of the production company, Media Factory. Marissa has previously taught at Trinity College, Dublin.

REGISTER HERE