Board

access>CINEMA was formerly known as the Federation of Irish Film Societies (FIFS) from 1977 to 2001. In October 2001 the organisation was re-constituted, re-branded and re-launched as access>CINEMA.

Board of Directors

Jennifer Connolly

Chairperson

(Appointed June 2019)

Jen started her career in the film industry in 2003 at The Farm post-production house, where she worked for 3 years. She then joined Windmill Lane, working first as a Senior Commercials and Long form producer for 6 years, and then running Windmill’s Commercials Department for a further 6 years alongside Dave Quinn (CEO) and Ian Jacobs (Head of VFX). She joined Raygun Post Production in 2018 as Head of Commercials, Content and Features, where she was responsible for managing the VFX teams, Flame and Inhouse editors, and encouraging and developing creative talent within all Raygun departments. 

Jen started her career in the film industry in 2003 at The Farm post-production house, where she worked for 3 years. She then joined Windmill Lane, working first as a Senior Commercials and Long form producer for 6 years, and then running Windmill’s Commercials Department for a further 6 years alongside Dave Quinn (CEO) and Ian Jacobs (Head of VFX). She joined Raygun Post Production in 2018 as Head of Commercials, Content and Features, where she was responsible for managing the VFX teams, Flame and Inhouse editors, and encouraging and developing creative talent within all Raygun departments. 

Edel Doherty

(Appointed August 2018)

Edel is committee member with Sligo Film Society and has previously been involved in film curation in Cork and Leeds, where she co-founded Minicine Community Cinema. Also heavily involved in music, she co-runs Art for Blind Records. Edel is a freelance graphic designer and lives in Sligo.

Edel is committee member with Sligo Film Society and has previously been involved in film curation in Cork and Leeds, where she co-founded Minicine Community Cinema. Also heavily involved in music, she co-runs Art for Blind Records. Edel is a freelance graphic designer and lives in Sligo.

Laura Dunne

(Appointed August 2018)

Laura is a professional arts curator, who also currently works as the Box Office Manager at Dunamaise Arts Centre in Portlaoise. She is also a qualified psychotherapist.

Laura is a professional arts curator, who also currently works as the Box Office Manager at Dunamaise Arts Centre in Portlaoise. She is also a qualified psychotherapist.

Robert Finn

(Appointed February 2019)

Robert has project managed some of the most commercially successful cultural projects in recent times – Light House Cinema Smithfield, Pálás Cinema Galway – in tandem with successes in film and event distribution including THE GUARD , THE LOBSTER, THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE  and the more recently THE LONELY BATTLE OF THOMAS REID among others. Other projects outside film include founder director of Enterprise Ireland’s supported PAP IT PHOTO Ltd and SENTIO AR Ltd. He  also worked with Dublin City Council on their most recent successful application for Artist Workspaces in Dublin under the URDF Fund.

Robert has project managed some of the most commercially successful cultural projects in recent times – Light House Cinema Smithfield, Pálás Cinema Galway – in tandem with successes in film and event distribution including THE GUARD , THE LOBSTER, THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE  and the more recently THE LONELY BATTLE OF THOMAS REID among others. Other projects outside film include founder director of Enterprise Ireland’s supported PAP IT PHOTO Ltd and SENTIO AR Ltd. He  also worked with Dublin City Council on their most recent successful application for Artist Workspaces in Dublin under the URDF Fund.

John Maguire

(Appointed May 2016)

John is a film critic, journalist and broadcaster with more than 15 years experience writing and talking about film in Ireland. An astute and intuitive critic, for the last 8 years he has written a weekly film review column, feature interviews and film articles for The Sunday Business Post, Ireland’s premier business and politics newspaper. John started his career at Independent News & Media as film critic for the Irish Independent’s Day & Night magazine. For many years, he contributed a weekly film review to Ireland’s most popular breakfast radio show, Ian Dempsey on Today FM, among other long-standing national radio and television contributions. John was a founding member of the Dublin Film Critics Circle. Married with two young children, he lives in Dublin.

 

John is a film critic, journalist and broadcaster with more than 15 years experience writing and talking about film in Ireland. An astute and intuitive critic, for the last 8 years he has written a weekly film review column, feature interviews and film articles for The Sunday Business Post, Ireland’s premier business and politics newspaper. John started his career at Independent News & Media as film critic for the Irish Independent’s Day & Night magazine. For many years, he contributed a weekly film review to Ireland’s most popular breakfast radio show, Ian Dempsey on Today FM, among other long-standing national radio and television contributions. John was a founding member of the Dublin Film Critics Circle. Married with two young children, he lives in Dublin.

 

Alan Maher

(Appointed February 2019)

Alan an Irish film Producer and Co-Managing Director of COWTOWN PICTURES. He has produced films including BEING AP, WE ARE MOVING: MEMORIES OF MISS MORIARTY and the IFTA-nominated SONG OF GRANITE. Prior to setting up his own company, Alan Maher was a Senior Executive/Executive Producer at Screen Ireland (formerly the Irish Film Board) for six years and was responsible for more than fifty feature films and documentaries.

 

 

Alan an Irish film Producer and Co-Managing Director of COWTOWN PICTURES. He has produced films including BEING AP, WE ARE MOVING: MEMORIES OF MISS MORIARTY and the IFTA-nominated SONG OF GRANITE. Prior to setting up his own company, Alan Maher was a Senior Executive/Executive Producer at Screen Ireland (formerly the Irish Film Board) for six years and was responsible for more than fifty feature films and documentaries.

Oisin O'Neill

(Appointed February 2019)

Oisin O’Neill is Principal Solicitor at O’Neill Media Law, which specialises in film, TV and video game finance and production, defamation, brand protection and copyright law. Oisin previously worked at the Irish Bar as a barrister, followed by a stint at Ryanair as their in-house media and intellectual property lawyer. He worked as senior legal and business executive at the Irish Film Board (now Screen Ireland) between 2014 and 2016, where he was responsible for the organisation’s contracting requirements on all projects and expenditure initiatives.

 

 

Oisin O’Neill is Principal Solicitor at O’Neill Media Law, which specialises in film, TV and video game finance and production, defamation, brand protection and copyright law. Oisin previously worked at the Irish Bar as a barrister, followed by a stint at Ryanair as their in-house media and intellectual property lawyer. He worked as senior legal and business executive at the Irish Film Board (now Screen Ireland) between 2014 and 2016, where he was responsible for the organisation’s contracting requirements on all projects and expenditure initiatives.

Alex Rosiak

(Appointed August 2018)

Alex is an arts manager and curator with over 12 years’ experience in arts organisations, festivals, community projects and arts publishing. She has been working as a cinema programmer and Box Office & Front Of House manager in Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge since 2009 and as acting venue director from 2015 to 2018. As a cinema programmer Alex formed a strategic plan for cultural cinema development at Riverbank Arts Centre and delivered a high quality cinema programme increasing audience numbers and box office revenue. Alex is also an experienced arts educator and facilitator and a theatre director and producer. She studied English Literature, Cultural Studies and Arts Management in Poland and Community Arts and Conflict Resolution in Ireland.

 

 

Alex is an arts manager and curator with over 12 years’ experience in arts organisations, festivals, community projects and arts publishing. She has been working as a cinema programmer and Box Office & Front Of House manager in Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge since 2009 and as acting venue director from 2015 to 2018. As a cinema programmer Alex formed a strategic plan for cultural cinema development at Riverbank Arts Centre and delivered a high quality cinema programme increasing audience numbers and box office revenue. Alex is also an experienced arts educator and facilitator and a theatre director and producer. She studied English Literature, Cultural Studies and Arts Management in Poland and Community Arts and Conflict Resolution in Ireland.

Ken Wardrop

Vice Chairperson

(Appointed May 2016)

Ken is one of Ireland’s most recognised documentary voices, creating powerfully emotional pieces through his own unique style. Ken studied filmmaking at the National Film School, IADT. His work has won accolades from the European Academy Awards to the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. Some of his proudest achievements have been in his short form exploits most notably his Barnardos campaigns.

Alex is an arts manager and curator with over 12 years’ experience in arts organisations, festivals, community projects and arts publishing. She has been working as a cinema programmer and Box Office & Front Of House manager in Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge since 2009 and as acting venue director from 2015 to 2018. As a cinema programmer Alex formed a strategic plan for cultural cinema development at Riverbank Arts Centre and delivered a high quality cinema programme increasing audience numbers and box office revenue. Alex is also an experienced arts educator and facilitator and a theatre director and producer. She studied English Literature, Cultural Studies and Arts Management in Poland and Community Arts and Conflict Resolution in Ireland.