The Conversation Starts Here! Belfast Media Festival Unveils 2026 Line-Up
-Tara Lynne O’Neill, Clive Myrie and Vittorio Angelone set for BMF
Belfast Media Festival (BMF), has launched its 2026 programme under the theme, “The Conversation Starts Here.” This year’s festival will take place from 10th November - 11th November 2026 in The MAC, Belfast and brings together those from the worlds of film, television, gaming, animation and content creation.
All events are free, with this year’s line-up including broadcaster and journalist Clive Myrie, Derry Girls and Hope Street star Tara Lynne O’Neill and comedian, actor and podcaster Vittorio Angelone. The programme will also feature a special recording of The State of Us with Tara Mills and Declan Harvey, screenings of new series REWARDING and award-winning feature film SKINTOWN, as well as the premiere of a new documentary PRISON BREAK: Escape from the Maze.
Conversations featuring an array of expert panellists will run throughout both days including a roundtable exploring the realities of juggling parenting with a media career, and this year, BMF will host its first-ever 5K run, sponsored by Yolk Films and followed by Belfast baps.
Key themes for this year include surviving difficult times, documentary masterclasses, the future of drama, funding and access, YouTube and the new digital landscape and the creator economy. Richard Williams, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Screen, will also feature in this year’s festival programme. It will be his final BMF as Chief Executive, following his announcement earlier this year that he will step down from the role.
Mary McKeagney, Chair of the Belfast Media Festival commented, “We’re excited to launch this year’s line up with our theme of ‘The Conversation Starts Here’ a phrase that captures what makes The Belfast Media Festival so special - chat, craic, connections and creative outcomes.
Over two days expert speakers and panels of programme makers, commissioners, funders and creatives will come together to have the discussions that matter to the future of the industry. Our panels and events are designed to share ideas, find solutions and create opportunity. We are delighted to unveil the 2026 line-up and registrations are now open via the website.”
Richard Williams, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Screen commented: “The Belfast Media Festival has grown in confidence and relevance every year since its founding in 2009. It provides an incredibly rare opportunity to showcase the breadth of our screen industry; it’s pencilled year after year in the diaries of many commissioners and broadcast executives; it’s brilliantly collegiate and - maybe most importantly - it's determinedly open to students and newcomers. The Belfast Media Festival is best in class, and I look forward to taking part again this year."
Eddie Doyle, Senior Head of Content Commissioning, BBC Northern Ireland, said: “The Belfast Media Festival is a great opportunity to hear from leading industry talent and to network, share ideas and celebrate the local creative sector.”
Belfast Media Festival will take place from 10th - 11th November in The MAC, Belfast, and is supported by BBC Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen and Channel 4 as well as other sponsors from the industry. Registrations are available via: belfastmediafestival.co.uk. Please follow Belfast Media Festival on Instagram and LinkedIn to hear the latest updates.