Always open to change

The Corona Cork Film Festival has adapted constantly to retain its position as one of the country’s top arts events, writes Carl Dixon

Mick Hannigan is the first to admit that the Corona Cork Film Festival needs to keep pace if it is to retain its relevancy. The CEO of the festival acknowledges that, while the event has always been comfortable it its own niche, audience expectations change.

“I think if you look at all types of festival around the country, there is a huge hunger to participate and learn,” he says. “Audiences don’t necessarily want to passively look at a screen and then leave. Particularly with documentaries, we have always strived to have the director present during the screening and to participate in Q&A sessions. Increasingly we need to look at these types of active experiences for our audiences.”