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Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr. Liam Blaney said "We are delighted to host the 2023 Celtic Media Festival in Dungloe, this is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the wealth of culture, language and talent we have across the county. We look forward to welcoming international artists from all regions and encouraging them to enjoy all the experiences the festival and the county has to offer them”.

Taking place in beautiful An Clochán Liath (Dungloe), the annual three-day conference, a celebration of broadcasting, film talent and excellence, will see delegates from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Cornwall, Brittany and Galicia come together for seminars, workshops, panels and discussions. 

Catriona Logan, Festival Director said "We’re so excited to to host this year’s Celtic Media Festival in Donegal and look forward to showing all our international media professionals all that Donegal has to offer”

This year’s schedule of events has numerous highlights, including the hugely popular CMF International Pitching Forum, which has a £10,000 development prize, live broadcasts, a discussion on the evolution of true-crime podcasts, and Measuring Diversity - the What, the Why and the AI, a timely session looking at the importance of creating content which reflects the world fairly and accurately, and how artificial intelligence can play a part in that. 

Renowned journalist Miriam O’Callaghan will be speaking to the producing and directing team behind one of the most successful films in Irish history,  An Cailín Ciúin, which has broken box office records and put Irish language cinema on the world stage, where it has been roundly celebrated. 

Cleona Ní Chrualaoi and Colm Bairéad will speak to the famed interviewer, about their experiences in making the film, and what this international success has meant to them. 

In Measuring Diversity - the What, the Why and the AI, a discussion about the different ways of measuring diversity on screen will take a hard look at the pros and cons of different methods, as well as discussing how we use artificial intelligence to track people on television.

Transatlantic Trade looks at “cracking America” with commissions in North America bringing larger audiences and vastly bigger budgets, decision makers from the US discuss what it takes to stand out in a seemingly impenetrable market, while creators who have had success across the pond, share their experience.  

During Success in Any Language, Alan Esslemont, Director General of TG4, discusses his success with bringing Irish language broadcasting and programmes to national and international audiences, heralding a golden era for the industry. 

Plus, over four ceremonies, the winners of the Torc Awards for Excellence 2023 will be announced, with SKY, BBC, RTÉ, ITV, TG4, Channel 4, S4C, Televisión de Galicia and France 3 Bretagne all competing across 28 categories for prestigious trophies. Covering everything from Factual Series and Arts to Drama Series, Sport, and Current Affairs, this year’s nominees include Channel 4’s critically acclaimed series Derry Girls, BBC1’s detective series Bloodlands, and emotive dramas Winners, Long Way Back, and Life and Death in the Warehouse.