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A short animated film commissioned by Screen Ireland and RTÉ, RETIREMENT PLAN tells the story of Ray (Domhnall Gleeson) as he fantasises about everything he’d love to do in retirement, once he finally has the “time.”
Winner of 5 Oscar®-Qualifying Awards, the film won the Grand Jury Award and Audience Award at SXSW 2025 as well as Best of the Festival Award at Palm Springs Shortfest 2025.
SELECTED PRESS
The New Yorker: The Dream of Finishing One’s To-Do List in “Retirement Plan” (Introduction by David Sedaris)
RTÉ Radio 1: John Kelly on his short animation 'Retirement Plan'
Animation World Network: Shorts in Focus: John Kelly’s ‘Retirement Plan’
Cartoon Brew: 2026 Oscars Short Film Contenders: ‘Retirement Plan’ Director John Kelly
Animation Magazine: How Irish Director John Kelly Made His Award-Winning, Crowd-Pleaser, ‘Retirement Plan’
Animation Obsessive: Dreaming of Retirement
Horror Buzz: Retirement Plan - SXSW 2025 Review
Animation World Network: Binocular Briefs — Short Film Review
Film&Television Business: John Kelly’s RETIREMENT PLAN – A Delicate Animated Short Blending Humour and Heartfelt Depth
Overly Honest Reviews: How Long Can You Put Off Your Dreams?
Film Obsessive: SXSW 2025 Short Film Round-Up
Movie Jawn: In under seven minutes RETIREMENT PLAN makes one feel all the feels
The Michigan Daily: SXSW 2025: Animated Shorts Highlights
The Oscar Project Podcast: Filmmaker Interview with John Kelly
Awards
SXSW March 2025, Grand Jury Award, Animated Short Competition (Oscar®-Qualifying)
SXSW March 2025, Audience Award, Animated Short Competition
Animation Dingle March 2025, Best Irish Professional Short (Oscar®-Qualifying)
Irish Film Festa March 2025, Best Short Film
Irish Film Festa March 2025, Student Jury Award
Athens International Film + Video Festival,April 2025, Special Jury Mention
Irish Animation Awards May 2025, Best Animated Short
Bali International Film Festival May 2025, Best Animated Short (Oscar®-Qualifying)
Guadalajara International Film Festival June 2025, Honorable Mention
Palm Springs International Shortfest June 2025, Best of the Festival Award (Oscar®-Qualifying)
Indy Shorts International Film Festival July 2025, Comedy Award
Rhode Island Int. Film Festival August 2025, Audience Choice Award Animation
Calgary International Film Festival September 2025, Animated Short Film Award
Calgary International Film Festival September 2025, Audience Choice Award, Animated Short
Short Com International Comedy Film and Animation Festival September 2025, Best Animation
Newport Beach Film Festival October 2025, Outstanding Animated Short
Bucheon International Animation Festiva, October 2025, Jury Special Mention
Dublin Animation Film Festival, November 2025, Best Storytelling
Dublin Animation Film Festival, November 2025, Audience Award
Coronado Island Film Festival, November 2025, Audience Award
San Jose International Short Film Festival, November 2025, Audience Choice Award
Foyle Film Festival, December 2025, Best Animated Short Film, (Oscar®-Qualifying)
Screenings
Galway Film Fleadh (World Premiere)
Ireland, July 2024
Dublin International Film Festival
Ireland, February 2025
South by Southwest
USA, March 2025 (International Premiere)
Kaboom Animation Festival
The Netherlands, March 2025
Animation Dingle
Ireland, March 2025
Irish Film Festa Rome
Italy, March 2025
Aspen Shortsfest
USA, March 2025
Los Angeles Festival of Movies
USA, April 2025
Athens International Film + Video Festival
USA, April 2025
RiverRun International Film Festival
USA, April 2025
San Francisco International Film Festival
USA, April 2025
Atlanta Film Festival
USA, April 2025
Milwaukee Film Festival
USA, April 2025
Pictoplasma
Germany 2025
Flatpack Festival
UK, May 2025
Seattle International Film Festival
USA, May 2025
Fastnet Film Festival
Ireland, May 2025
Bali International Film Festival
Indonesia, June 2025
SXSW London
UK, June 2025
Animafest Zagreb
Croatia, June 2025
Lighthouse International Film Festival
USA, June 2025
Guadalajara International Film Festival
Mexico, June 2025
Norwegian Short Film Festival
Norway, June 2025
Palm Springs Shortfest
USA, June 2025
Psarokokalo International Short Film Festival
Greece, July 2025
Prescott Film Festival
USA, July 2025
Indy Shorts International Film Festival
USA, July 2025
Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival
USA, August 2025
Melbourne International Film Festival
Australia, August 2025
Hollyshorts
USA, August 2025
Vashon Film Festival
USA, August 2025
Indie Street Film Festival
USA, August 2025
Fantoche
Switzerland, September 2025
Lake County Film Festivalflic
USA, September 2025
Viborg Animation Festival
Denmark, September 2025
Atlantic International Film Festival
Canada, September 2025
Calgary International Film Festival
Canada, September 2025
Nashville Film Festival
USA, September 2025
Encounters Film Festival
UK, September 2025
Short Com Comedy and Animation Festival
UK, September 2025
Bolton Film Festival
UK, October 2025
OFFline Film Festival
UK, October 2025
Bend Film Festival
USA, October 2025
Heartland international film festival
USA, October 2025
Sapporo Short Film Festival
Japan, October 2025
Santa Fe International Film Festival
USA, October 2025
San Jose International Short Film Festival
USA, October 2025
Chicago International Film Festival
USA, October 2025
Newport Beach Film Festival
USA, October 2025
Philadelphia Film Festival
USA, October 2025
Animation is Film
USA, October 2025
The Chilliwack Independent Film Festival
Canada, October 2025
Naples International Film Festival
USA, October 2025
Bucheon International Animation Festival
Korea, October 2025
SCAD Savannah Film Festival
USA, October 2025
Bitbang
Argentina, October 2025
Norwich Film Festival
UK, November 2025
Aesthetica Short Film Festival
UK, November 2025
Coronado Island Film Festival
USA, November 2025
Leeds International Film Festival
UK, November 2025
Sulmona International Film Festival
Italy, November 2025
Dublin Animation Film Festival
Ireland, November 2025
Cinanima
Portugal, November 2025
Manchester Animation Festival
UK, November 2025
Key West Film Festival
USA, November 2025
Foyle Film Festival
UK, November 2025
Three Rivers Film Festival
USA, November 2025
New York City Short Film Festival
USA, November 2025
Leuven International Short Film Festival
Belgium, November 2025
London International Animation Festival
UK, November 2025
Sun Valley Film Festival
USA, December 2025
Glas Animation Festival
USA, December 2025
Séquence Short Film Festival
France, December 2025
Cast & Crew
Cast Domhnall Gleeson
Director / Co-writer John Kelly
Co-writer Tara Lawall
Animation Marah Curran and Eamonn O’Neill
Producers Andrew Freedman, Julie Murnaghan
Executive Producer Domhnall Gleeson
Production Company Antidote
Music John Carroll Kirby
Supervising Sound Designer Jon Clarke
Sound Effects Editor Andy Isaias
Audio Executive Producer Deborah Whitfield
Audio Producer Emily Thomas
Colourist Gary Curran at Outer Limits
Finishing Editor Dominic Lord
Type Consultancy Wayne Daly
Image Research Mark McGuinness
Character Modelling By Lucas De Miguel
Design John Kelly
Executive Producer For Screen Ireland Emma Scott
Executive Producer For Rté Pauline MacNamara
Shorts Co-Ordinator For Screen Ireland Jill McGregor
Marketing Executive For Mags O’Sullivan
Digital Marketing & Communications Coordinator Callie Hardy