Olivia Louise Curto is an Ireland-based filmmaker and SFX makeup artist who grew up in Leitrim.
Her award-winning shorts blend genre with intimate, performance-led storytelling. My Way premiered at the Dublin International Film Festival (2025), spotlighted by national and specialist outlets. Freequencies won 2nd Place at Fresh Film, Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year 2024. Her horror short Reality Check won the Little Cinema/Galway City of Film 48-Hour Challenge and screened at the Galway Film Fleadh 2025. Her work has also screened at New York’s All American High School Film Festival, the world’s largest student film festival.
This screening is more than just a showcase of films, it’s an opportunity to experience the heart of indie filmmaking. Olivia’s shorts combine originality, emotional depth, and personal storytelling in a way that mainstream cinema rarely captures. They spark imagination, stir memories, and touch the heart, all while highlighting the creativity and determination of a young filmmaker making her mark. Attendees will also have the chance to ask questions and explore how films are made and why these stories matter, while supporting emerging talent and celebrating the spirit of independent cinema, an inspiring experience for anyone curious about filmmaking and storytelling.
This event presents four short films exploring memory, imagination, connection, and fear, followed by a live Q&A with the filmmaker.
Programming Note for Families: The first short, Reality Check, is a five-minute horror film. Families who would prefer to skip it are welcome to arrive 10 minutes after the start time and enjoy the remaining three films, followed by the Q&A with Olivia Louise Curto.
Q&A
A focused Q&A in indie filmmaking. Olivia will share how she got started as an 18-year-old filmmaker, what truly matters in a first short, how she made her films and practical micro-budget tactics across script, sound, light, casting, and locations. She’ll cover small-crew workflows, directing young performers, lean post-production designed for emerging filmmakers and anyone interested in how films are made.
