My Yearly Pilgrimage to Kinsale to Attempt (And Always Fail) to Split the G

Kinsale feels like the kind of place where, by the end of the weekend, you’ve bumped into everyone at least once - whether over a pint, or a bloody mary, or did I say a pint, or just on the walk back from the Bulman’s. Why do I love the Kinsale Shark Awards? Firstly, the people who run it. Peter, Eugene, and Mark are actually present, visible, and invested in making the festival a success for you. That intimacy is rare.

Last year, I had the privilege of being a judge. It was done the old-school way - in a room, with fellow jurors, debating the work and arguing it out. Compared to the online judging process that dominates most other festivals - where it’s too easy to skim, skip, or push the responsibility onto a PA against the looming deadline - Kinsale’s approach felt refreshingly human. And yes, I run two fully remote businesses, so the irony wasn’t lost on me. But I loved it. Being in the room, in person, was invaluable.

For me, the magic of Kinsale lies in its atmosphere. It’s a small coastal town that hasn’t been swallowed by giant tech logos plastered across beaches. The cost to attend is a fraction of Cannes, and with that the pressure melts away. There’s no frantic rush to scan QR codes or swap business cards by the dozen. Instead, connections happen naturally and meaningfully.

This year is extra special because Imagine This, my production company and Made By Humans our AI artist roster, are sponsoring the festival. We’re hosting not one but two events. On Thursday, a world first: A Bloody Mess, an AI filmmaking experiment done in real time, where the audience provides the prompts and we build a film together - all while serving free Bloody Marys (of course). 12:30pm Thursday 25th Sept at the Trident Hotel. And on Saturday 27th Sept, we’re throwing the official closing party: One Last Guinness with Imagine This at the Acton's Garden Bar.

If you’re in Kinsale this week, let’s connect. And if you haven’t been, I can’t recommend it enough - it’s one of the most enjoyable and valuable festivals in the industry. The fact that AI has made it onto the agenda this year shows just how forward-thinking Kinsale is becoming. Who knows, maybe there’ll be an AI category by next year. For me, even with 19 hours of travel from the US, it’s the perfect excuse to catch up with old friends and remind myself why I keep making the pilgrimage each and every year.