Welcome to irishfilmtv.com (IFTV), a digital celebration of Irish on-screen culture and the perfect resource for lovers of Irish content.
Fully bilingual and updated daily, IFTV highlights the very latest news and updates on Ireland’s world-class creators, from emerging Irish filmmakers to established acting royalty, through streaming links, interviews, reviews, production updates and theatrical release information, with the goal of connected new audiences to Irish creative projects in film, tv and theatre.
Spearheading the initiative is Michael Barry whose strategic leadership has helped shape content acquisition and programming strategies across Canada’s telecommunications giants and theatrical distribution landscape. His distinguished career includes Rogers, Bell, TELUS and Cineplex Entertainment, where he has driven innovation in content licensing and programming initiatives.
A respected curator in the international film festival circuit, Michael has served on programming teams for several prestigious institutions. He has contributed his expertise to Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival, North America’s largest documentary festival; the Gimli International Film Festival, Manitoba’s premier film event; and co-founded the Toronto Irish Film Festival in 2010, establishing a vital cultural bridge between Canadian and Irish cinema.
Michael’s creative accomplishments extend to filmmaking, where his directorial debut documentary THE WEXFORD garnered critical acclaim, securing the Audience Choice Award at the Scarborough Worldwide Film Festival. The film’s cultural significance has been recognized through its permanent inclusion in the City of Toronto Digital Archives, preserving an important piece of Toronto’s community history.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to international cultural exchange, Michael was awarded the City of Belfast Global Ambassador distinction in 2019. This prestigious award acknowledges his decade-plus leadership of the Toronto Irish Film Festival and its instrumental role in creating platforms for emerging Irish filmmakers to reach global audiences, while strengthening the cultural ties between Ireland and North America.
Michael currently serves as Outreach Manager for the Toronto Film School, Canada’s #1 film school, supporting the creative aspirations of emerging Canadian actors, directors, screenwriters, graphic designers and video game developers.
Connect with Michael on LinkedIn.