BFF26: The Lost Children of Tuam

Australian premiere

Produced by Liam Neeson, this dramatisation of a powerful true story follows amateur Irish historian Catherine Corless (Monica Dolan, also in Elsinore) who pieces together a disturbing truth about her Galway hometown, Tuam, that shatters her trust in the very institutions that are meant to protect society’s most vulnerable.

While diligently sifting through thousands of records from the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Galway for a presentation, Catherine becomes transfixed on mounting inconsistencies within the files, realising that hundreds of missing children are unaccounted for. Determined to uncover the truth, Catherine powers on with her grassroots investigation with the help of local community members and it soon spirals into something bigger than she could have ever imagined.

With restrained and powerful performances, The Lost Children of Tuam builds an increasingly uneasy tension that champions persistence in the pursuit of truth and justice. This incredible true story shook Ireland’s trust in the Church and government and kickstarted a wider investigation that is still ongoing today.

WINNER | Best Irish Film, Galway Film Fleadh 2026