About

Mia Mullarkey is an Irish writer-director whose work examines relationships and behaviour under pressure, often through an intimate psychological lens. A former psychologist, she was named one of Screen International’s Rising Stars Ireland (2023) and is an IFTA-nominated director (2026). Her recent work includes Hidden Assets (Season 3), The Gone (Season 2), and the TG4 series Cumasc (Seasons 1 & 2). She is currently developing her debut feature film Lucid.

Documentary Background

Mia studied psychology, specialising in neuroscience and behaviourism, and worked as a behavioural psychologist in Ireland and Sri Lanka, as well as an educator in Peru and India. She began her filmmaking career in documentary, most notably writing and directing Mother & Baby, on the Tuam Mother and Baby Home, and Throwline, about taxi drivers trained to prevent suicide.

Move into drama

Mia moved into drama in 2021. Her debut short The Passion, based on a story by Donal Ryan, was followed by Safe as Houses, a Screen Ireland short, both of which received multiple international awards. She went on to direct the RTÉ Storyland pilot Wrapped, and has since worked across television drama, including The Gone (Season 2) and Hidden Assets (Season 3).

Recognition

Her work has screened internationally and received more than 80 awards, including Gold at the Young Director Awards, Cannes Lions. She is the recipient of the Discovery Award at the Dublin International Film Festival, along with awards from Cork, Galway, Aesthetica, São Paulo, Rhode Island and many more.

Labs, training & Residencies

Selected programmes include Toronto International Film Festival, Stowe Story Labs, Le Groupe Ouest, X-Pollinator, Screen Talent Europe and The National Talent Academy, with mentors including Lenny Abrahamson, Aisling Walsh and Neasa Hardiman.

Selected Awards

  • IFTA Nomination — Best Director (Hidden Assets Season 3, 2026)

  • Entertainment Nomination — Royal Television Society Ireland (Cumasc Season 2, 2025)

  • Gold — Young Director Award, Cannes Lions (Wrapped, 2024)

  • Best Short — Celtic Media Festival (Safe as Houses, 2024)

  • Rising Star Ireland — Screen International (2023)

  • Gold — Young Director Award, Cannes Lions (Safe as Houses, 2023)

  • Best Director — Emerging Director Awards Ireland (Safe as Houses, 2023)

  • Discovery Award — Dublin International Film Festival (2018)

  • Best Irish Short — Dublin International Film Festival (Mother & Baby, 2018)

  • Best Short Documentary — Galway Film Fleadh (Throwline, 2017)

  • Best Short Documentary — Cork International Film Festival (Mother & Baby, 2017)

Selected Press