Damian McCann is Belfast-based director and writer. His second narrative feature, AONTAS, is Ireland’s entrant to the Oscar® International Feature Film category at the upcoming 2027 Academy Awards. It premiered at the Santa Barbara, Dublin and Shanghai Film festivals and has won Best Narrative Feature Awards at 10 major film festivals including the Manchester, San Diego and Three Rivers (Pittsburgh) Film Festivals, as well as multiple other awards for the film’s cast and crew. The film was nominated for 6 Irish Film and Television Awards in 2026 including Best Film and Best Screenplay.
Damian’s first feature drama, DOINEANN, premiered at Newport Beach Film Festival in 2021 and won a Royal Television Society Award in 2023 for Best Drama. It was released in cinemas in the UK and Ireland by Wildcard Distribution.
Alongside his frequent writing partner, Sarah Gordon, he has written on series 2 of the BBC / TG4 series Crá, and he has recently completed a short film Mí-Ádh (as director also) which premiered nationally at the Galway Film Fleadh, and international at Newport Beach.
He has been making documentaries for twenty years including four (non-fiction) feature films and is currently in post-production on a drama-doc (Screen Ireland / TG4) about the actor Micheál MacLiammóir starring Denis Conway, Conleth Hill and Carrie Crowley
He is in final development on his next narrative feature project, AISÉIRÍ, (Screen Ireland / TG4 / Coimisiún na Meán) due for production in 2027. The film is a coming-of-age story set against the rise of the far-right in Ireland.
Selected Drama Credits
2027 AISÉIRÍ
In fnal development (Cine4 – Screen Ireland, TG4, Coimisiún na Meán)
1 x 90 min Feature flm (Thriller)
2026 MÍCHEÁL
In post-production (Screen Ireland, TG4, Irish Language Broadcast Fund)
1 x 80 min TV drama-doc about the Irish stage and screen actor Mícheál Mac Liammóir
Starring Denis Conway, Conleth Hill and Carrie Crowley
2025 AONTAS
1 x 90 min Feature flm (Drama / Thriller)
AVAILABLE on the BBC iPlayer
Selected by IFTA as Ireland’s entry for the best international feature film category at the 2027 Academy Awards.
Winner of 15 festival awards including 10 ‘Best Feature’ wins (San Diego, Manchester, Maryland, San Luis Obispo,
Hell’s Half Mile, Ojai, Pittsburgh, London Irish Film Festival, Durango and An t-Oireachtas) & 2 ‘Best Director’ awards.
Nominated for six Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTA) including Best Film and Best Screenplay
2021 DOINEANN
Distributed by Wildcard Distribution
1 x 90 min Feature flm (Thriller)
AVAILABLE on the BBC iPlayer
Screened at Newport Beach Film Festival, Galway Film Fleadh, Belfast Film Festival and Foyle Film Festival
Winner: RTS NI Best Drama 2023
ADDITIONAL CREDITS
2026 CRÁ SERIES 2, EPISODE 4 (BBC / TG4) Co-Writer
1 x 30 minute TV crime drama
2026 MÍ-ÁDH / BAD LUCK (SCREEN IRELAND / TG4 / ILBF) Director / Co-Writer
1 x 17 minute short flm
2024 NEIL MARTIN: BÓTHAR AN CHEOIL (TG4 / BBC) Director
Premiere – Cork Film Festival 2024
1 x 75 min feature documentary on the life and works of Belfast cellist, Neil Martin
2024 IARSMAÍ (BBC / TG4) Director
Premiere – Galway Film Fleadh 2024
Winner: Human Rights & Social Justicwe Award – Disappear Here Film Festival 2024
1 x 90 min feature documentary examining the colonial legacy of museums in Ireland and the UK
2023 AONARACHT / SINGULARITY (BBC / TG4) Director
Premiere – Cork Film Festival 2023
1 x 90 min feature doc following experimental musician, Úna Monaghan, as she records her new album
2021 CRÍOCHDHEILGHT (BBC) Director
1 x 60 minute documentary marking 100 years of Partition in Ireland
2020 LIAM O’FLYNN: PÍOBAIRE (BBC) Director
Nominee: Best Arts Documentary – Celtic Media Awards
1 x 90 minute feature documentary about legendary Irish uilleann piper Liam O’Flynn
2020 SPLENDID ISOLATION: JUST THE TWO OF US (BBC 4) Director
Nominee: Best Drama – Royal Television Society NI + Best Short Drama – Celtic Media Awards
1x 5 minute short flm
2019 OILITHREACHT (BBC / RTÉ) Series Director
3 x 30 minute ob-doc capturing the 3-day religious pilgrimage at Lough Derg
2018 HAMMOND: DUAIS AN DORAIS (BBC / TG4) Director
1 x 60 minute documentary on the life of flmmaker and musician David Hammond
2018 ROLE MODEL (BBC ONE NETWORK) Director
1 x 30 minute od doc following an up-and-coming model with Down’s Syndrome, Kate Grant
2018 ULAIDH FAOI THALAMH (BBC) Series Director
Nominee: Best Factual Series – Celtic Media Awards 2019
3 x 30 minute Fact-Ent series looking at Ulster’s underground spaces
2017 MÁTHAIR… (Short Film) Director
Featured as part of Aer Lingus’ in-fight entertainment selection
1 x 6 minute short flm about the cultural and generational wealth of the Irish Language
2016 EOIN MAC NÉILL: FEAR DEARMADTA 1916 (BBC / TG4) Director
Winner: Best History – Celtic Media Awards 2017
Winner: Spirit of the Festival – Celtic Media Awards 2017
1 x 60 min Historical Docudrama