Irish Filmmaker Anne Williamson Joins the Industry Panel at the 6th Annual IndieX Film Fest

IndieX Film Fest Annual Awards 2026 is proud to welcome Irish filmmaker Anne Williamson as a guest speaker for the Industry Panel during the festival’s 6th annual edition, taking place on May 30, 2026, at Regal LA Live in Los Angeles.

Anne Williamson is the director of the short film Bridget, which is nominated at this year’s Annual Awards and will receive its USA Premiere during the event.

Based in Tipperary, Ireland, Anne Williamson has been deeply involved in theatre and performance for many years, both on stage and behind the scenes. Since 2003, she has served as director of the Fionn MacCumhaill Players drama group, directing 34 successful stage productions. Prior to that, she worked as writer and director for The Slievenamon Musical Society, further building a strong foundation in storytelling, performance direction, and ensemble-based productions.

Her extensive experience in acting, casting, and directing has shaped a filmmaking approach centered on collaboration and performance, helping her develop a strong connection with actors and emotionally grounded storytelling. After years working in theatre and appearing in short films herself in both leading and cameo roles, directing became what she describes as her true calling.

Bridget marks Anne Williamson’s second film and tells a haunting true story rooted in Irish history and folklore. Co-written by Anne Williamson and Brian Clancy, the short revisits the tragic case of Bridget Cleary, a woman whose death in 1895 became internationally known as the last witch burning in Ireland.

Set within Anne’s own local community, Bridget explores the fear, superstition, and social tensions surrounding a woman accused of being a changeling left behind by the fairies. The film asks whether Bridget was truly viewed as a witch, a fairy, or simply a woman ahead of her time — while ultimately seeking to restore humanity and dignity to a story long overshadowed by myth and tragedy.

Anne praises the collaborative effort behind the production, highlighting the work of Diceman Productions, sound recordist Adrian Brett, and the cast and crew who helped bring the story to life.

Bridget · Program 3 · Cinema 8 · 2:45 – 4:20 PM · USA Premiere

The Industry Panel

🕓 5:00 – 6:00 PM · Cinema 10
🎟️ Tickets on sale now

One of the highlights of the 6th Annual IndieX Film Fest will be the Industry Panel, bringing together filmmakers and industry professionals for an open conversation about independent filmmaking, creative process, production challenges, and storytelling across different artistic mediums.

What makes these conversations especially compelling is not only insight from larger-scale productions, but also the real creative experiences behind independent filmmaking and grassroots artistic communities. Anne Williamson’s background in theatre direction and community-based storytelling brings a particularly unique perspective to this year’s panel.

Audiences can expect discussion surrounding the collaborative process within smaller creative circles, the transition from stage productions into short filmmaking, and how decades of experience directing actors in live theatre can shape cinematic storytelling and performance on screen. Her journey from community theatre to internationally recognized short films reflects the spirit of independent filmmaking that IndieX Film Fest aims to celebrate.

Festival attendees will also have the opportunity to experience the USA Premiere of Bridget during the Annual Awards screenings at Regal LA Live, where filmmakers and industry guests from multiple countries will gather for a full day of screenings, networking events, and the evening Awards Show.

The 6th Annual IndieX Film Fest features 65 films from 18 countries across 11 screening blocks and 3 auditoriums.