Huge buzz as big name added to film fest
One of Ireland’s premiere celebrations of film will return to county Cork this spring with an exciting new name added to the line-up.
Taking place from 20-24 May in Schull, West Cork, Fastnet Film Festival 2026 has confirmed the addition of award winning British director and cinematographer Molly Manning Walker and her acclaimed debut feature ‘How to Have Sex’.
The film is a vibrant, authentic portrayal of the agonies, ecstasies, and ride or die intensity of young female friendship.
Set amid the chaotic party scene of Malia, three British teens, Tara (Mia McKenna Bruce), Skye (Lara Peake) and Em (Enva Lewis), embark on a rites of passage holiday of drinking, clubbing, and hookups, meant to be the best summer of their lives.
As they move through hazy clubs, frantic pool parties, and sun drenched streets, they confront the complexities of sex, consent, self-discovery, and shifting friendships. With luminous visuals and a pitch perfect soundtrack, Manning Walker’s debut offers a compassionate yet confronting take on the excesses of teenage holidays, painting a painfully familiar portrait of how first sexual experiences should or should not unfold.
The film premiered to international acclaim, winning the Un Certain Regard Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023 and the European Discovery Award at the European Film Awards.
Manning Walker, who is based in London, received two nominations in 2024 at the British Academy Film Award: Outstanding British Film and Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, or Producer, cementing her status as one of the most exciting new voices in British cinema.
As a cinematographer, her first feature, ‘Scrapper’, directed by Charlotte Regan, won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.
She was nominated for Best Cinematography at the British Independent Film Awards, and the film later received a BAFTA nomination for Outstanding British Film.
As well as an extensive line-up of film, Fastnet Film Festival 2026 also features a vibrant programme of masterclasses, workshops, and special events in unique venues throughout the village.