From Derry to New York: Róise Nic an Bheatha’s Celtic Cinema
Irish-born Róise Nic an Bheatha is dedicated to bringing world-class filmmaking back to Scotland and Ireland, highlighting the power of celtic languages and culture on the big screen. Now, she’s set off to New York City to make connections and bring Scottish and Irish stories back to the screen. Director and filmmaker Róise was recently awarded $66,000 through the prestigious Fulbright BAFTA Scholarship, giving her the encouragement to go to New York City and study filmmaking at the School of Visual Arts. The 29-year-old is originally from Derry in Northern Ireland but moved to Edinburgh with her family when she was younger, where she learnt Scottish Gaelic. Before going into film, Róise completed her studies at Glasgow University and then worked at the national centre for Gaelic language, Sabhal Mor Ostaig on the Isle of Skye. One of her highest acclaimed films, Le Chéile, went on to be showcased at film festivals across Ireland and Scotland and is known as the world’s first narrative film featuring both Irish and Scottish Gaelic – exploring how language and place can bring people together in unlikely circumstances.
You Can’t Take The Girl Out of Belfast: Emma Neill
At 27, Belfast-born creator and podcast host Emma Neill has crafted a space online that feels equal parts soft and sharp. One moment she’s talking about hard hitting topics and societal conditioning; the next she’s laughing about drinking cactus jacks in the local park as a teen. Her online presence may appear effortless, but her grounding is unmistakably Northern Irish; rooted in humour, resilience and a refusal to take herself too seriously.
Progeny & Power: Designer Tarika Kinney Weaves Her Matriarchal Lineage Into Living Garments
Belfast-born designer Tarika Kinney doesn’t just make clothes; she resurrects memory. Her graduate collection Progeny, unveiled at Glasgow School of Art is less a debut than a declaration. Across translucent knitwear, cast surfaces and fraying edges preserved like relics, Kinney constructs a personal archive of womanhood, ancestry and renewal.

