A brand new Irish language short film which centres on two Gaelic football players grappling with their secret gay romance is set to make its festival debut in Brighton this February.
With 2026 being dominated by the hugely popular hockey drama, Heated Rivalry, audiences everywhere have made their hunger for queer sports stories known. This TG4 short couldn’t have come at a better time.
Ár gCluiche Féin, which translates to Our Own Game, will premiere at the FilmPride Festival in Brighton on Saturday, February 14. The short film has a female-led creative team: it is written and directed by Medb Johnstone, produced by Úna Spillane and Ann Ní Chíobháin, while the film’s director of photography is Carol Tormey, a DIFF Rising Star.
Cormac De Bhál, who you may recognise from Lazarus and Christy, plays Tomás, while Trespasses star Oisín Thompson plays Seán.
In the film, the two characters are young Gaelic footballers whose secret gay relationship forces them to confront toxic masculinity, tradition and a world of unspoken rules. Indeed, Ár gCluiche Féin shines a timely light on the challenges queer men often face in sport, but, at the same time, the film is a tender story of desire and loyalty.
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A synopsis for the movie gives film buffs a glimpse of what they can look forward to.
“This film offers a deeply human lens on the cost of secrecy and the longing for acceptance,” the summary reads. “The story unfolds not just as a romance, but as a reflection of the pressures to conform in a culture where masculinity and identity are tightly controlled. What does it cost to live honestly and what do we sacrifice when we cannot?”
The trailer showcases Ár gCluiche Féin‘s visual beauty, with stolen glances, GAA shorts and peaceful pastoral scenery aplenty.
While the film will make its debut across the pond in Brighton, it is gearing up for a busy festival season, so if you would like to see it for yourself, keep an eye on the film’s Instagram page for all the updates.
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