Fédor Fedorov and William Murray, directors of The Road to Nowhere Flowers; Eileen Byrne, Luxembourg-based filmmaker; Credit: Ali Sahib, Chronicle.lu

On Wednesday 18 March 2026, the British & Irish Film Festival Luxembourg (BIFFL) held its 2026 Spring Edition Shorts Evening and the third edition of the Young Filmmakers Competition awards at Ciné Utopia in Luxembourg-Limpertsberg.

The evening opened with a welcome speech from BIFFL organiser Geoff Thompson, followed by a keynote address from Luxembourg-based filmmaker Eileen Byrne, before the screening of four short films ranging from seven to 20 minutes.

Among the films presented was Echoes of Galway, a fifteen-minute documentary by Nina Zimmer and Salomé-Ange Wilk, which won the Young Filmmakers Competition last year.

Geoff Thompson introduced the programme and highlighted that this year’s competition themes were related to environment and cultural heritage. He noted that the overall quality of entries had improved, with young filmmakers bringing increasingly “strong storytelling and improved technical work each year”.

Eileen Byrne then addressed the audience, speaking about her experience in the film industry and the challenges she faced over time. She encouraged young creators to remain authentic in their storytelling, adding that telling stories through film allows creators “to share how you see the world” and to connect with audiences in a direct way.

The programme continued with the presentation of trailers from the twelve shortlisted films in this year’s competition. The organisers then announced the winners and screened their films in full.

According to the organisers, the jury evaluated the entries based on storytelling, artistic performance in front of the camera, and technical execution behind the camera.

The jury included filmmakers Eileen Byrne and Nicolas Neuhold, as well as representatives from partner organisations including Film Fund Luxembourg and the Oeuvre Nationale de Secours Grande-Duchesse Charlotte, alongside members from embassies and the festival organisers.

Third place was awarded jointly to If Doubt Could Kill by Elliot Esposito-Roberts from Ecole Internationale Differdange et Esch (EIDE) and The Distance Between Us by Brandon Verjans Trujillo from Lenster Lycée International School (LLIS).

Second place went to If It Were You by Kelvin Hickey from Lenster Lycée International School (LLIS).

First place was awarded to The Road to Nowhere Flowers by Fédor Fedorov and William Murray, also from Lenster Lycée International School.

Eileen Byrne then presented the prizes. The first and second prize winners received two Luxair flights to Ireland and books, while the third prize winners received technical equipment for video production.

The evening concluded with a reception, followed by a screening of Never Had A Chance, directed by Jazz Bhalla, who also attended the event and answered questions from the audience after the film.