Barry Dignam

Barry's Research Profile at IADT

Barry Dignam has spent over two decades at the intersection of film, culture, education, and industry. He currently serves as Vice Dean for the European University (FilmEU) at IADT, Ireland’s Campus for the Creative Industries, incorporating the National Film School. Throughout his career, he has had the opportunity to work with schools across Europe and beyond.

Barry is deeply committed to fostering cultural and artistic collaboration across institutions, raising teaching standards, and enhancing the future of film and media education and the wider creative industries. He has served on many industry and educational boards. He is the chair of GEECT, (le Groupement Européen des Écoles de Cinéma et de Télévision / European Grouping of Film and Television Schools) and sits on the executive council of CILECT (le Centre International de Liaison des Ecoles de Cinéma et de Télévision / the International Association of Film and Television Schools) and the executive board of NAHEMI – the UK’s National Association for Higher Education in the Moving Image. 

Barry is a multi-award-winning filmmaker, whose work has been recognised on a global stage, with films screened at prestigious festivals such as Berlinale and Cannes. His films have been shown at over 150 international festivals and distributed through major broadcasters, on-demand platforms, and theatrical releases.

As a teacher, Barry has over twenty years of experience working with students and researchers at all levels. At IADT, he has served as the Head of the Department of Film & Media, Chair of Film & Television, and Irish Course Director on the Erasmus+ Joint Master of Art in Cinematography.

In 2021, Barry became IADT’s Programme Director of FilmEU, the European University for Film and Media Arts. FilmEU represents a pioneering approach to arts and culture education, uniting eight higher education institutions from across Europe. FilmEU has grown into a transformative initiative that enhances the academic landscape for film and media while addressing critical societal issues such as sustainability, inclusion, and digital transformation.