Posted: 20th January 2026

Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is delighted to congratulate director Grant Gee, screenwriter Mark O’Halloran and the entire creative team behind Irish film Everybody Digs Bill Evans on its selection for the 2026 Berlin Film Festival (Berlinale). The film will receive its World Premiere in official Competition at the festival.

Based on the book Intermission by Owen Martell, Everybody Digs Bill Evans stars Bill Pullman, Irish actors Barry Ward and Katie McGrath, and Laurie Metcalf. In June 1961, New York City, the legendary jazz pianist Bill Evans forms his perfect trio and records two of the greatest jazz records of all time in one night. Central to the success of this project is Evan’s soul mate and bass player Scott LaFaro. Ten days later, LaFaro dies in a car crash. Numb with grief, Evans stops playing.

The film is produced by Alan Maher for Cowtown Pictures, Janine Marmot for Hot Property Films, and is supported by Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, the UK Global Screen Fund, Over The Fence Films, Finite Films, Shoni Productions and OnSight. Worldwide sales are being handled by Mister Smith Entertainment, with CAA co-repping US rights, and Irish distributor Break Out Pictures has acquired UK-Ireland distribution.

The Berlinale is one of the largest public film festivals in the world, attracting tens of thousands of visitors from around the globe each year. Irish film has found critical and audience acclaim at the festival in recent years, including Christy, Small Things Like These and Colm Bairéad’s An Cailín Ciúin.

The 76th edition of the Berlinale will run February 12th to 22nd.

Source: Irish film Everybody Digs Bill Evans to receive World Premiere in Competition at the 2026 Berlinale