Emma Langford and Ann Blake talk to Dr. Susan Liddy, founder of Catalyst International Film Festival (Catalyst IFF), about the challenges faced by new and emerging festivals in gaining an audience. Liddy discusses the key elements needed to allow such a space to grow and survive.

Established in 2019 on the cusp of the impending pandemic, the festival was forced to go virtual in its first year but has grown ever since. In 2023, it extended its tendrils into live venues around the city, as well as attracting A-list ambassador Ruth Negga. The mission of Catalyst IFF is to present a film programme that prioritises stories and storytellers currently underrepresented on screen and behind the camera; to create a more inclusive industry; and to ensure that films screened throughout promote gender equality, diversity, and inclusion in content, key creative roles, and crew.

You can listen to The Limerick Lady podcast episode #52 here.

The Limerick Lady is a grassroots movement based in Limerick, Ireland, with a focus on promoting conversation around gender, visibility, gender balance, and the arts. It was founded in 2016 by award-winning (and -losing) singer-songwriter Emma Langford, who hosts the podcast alongside fellow award-winning (and -losing) Limerick woman, theatre-maker, and musician Ann Blake. The Limerick Lady is sponsored by Ormston House and supported by the Limerick Post.

Image courtesy of the Limerick Lady Podcast.