Dublin film student with ‘incredible talent’ and girlfriend killed in Thailand road crash – The Irish Times

The Irish filmmaking community is mourning the loss of Max Hendrickson, a 20-year-old student and award-winning director who was killed in a road crash in Thailand on May 17, 2026. Hendrickson, a resident of Cabra in north Dublin, died alongside his girlfriend, a Czech citizen, in the tragedy.

Reports indicate that the couple had been traveling on a scooter when the accident occurred. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed on May 17, 2026, that they are aware of the case and are providing consular assistance, though the department declined to comment on specific details of the individual case.

A Rising Talent in Irish Cinema

At the time of his death, Hendrickson was in his second year of studying for a BA in Film at the Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT) in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland’s national film school. He was widely recognized as a significant emerging talent within the industry, having demonstrated a precocious passion for the medium from a young age.

His dedication to the craft was evidenced by his long-standing relationship with the Fresh International Film Festival. Hendrickson had been submitting his work to the festival repeatedly since the age of 12, citing the event as a primary source of inspiration and motivation to continue making movies.

This persistence culminated in 2023, when Hendrickson was named Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year at the age of 17. His recognition as a director was largely driven by his short animated film, The Tell-Tale Heart, which served as a cinematic re-telling of the classic short story by Edgar Allan Poe.

Reflecting on his journey and the impact of the festival, Hendrickson had previously stated that attending the event and meeting other young filmmakers was absolutely amazing, and he had urged other aspiring filmmakers to submit their work to the Fresh festival.

Community Tributes

The news of the crash has caused significant shock and grief in Hendrickson’s home community of Cabra. Local representatives and colleagues have spoken out regarding the loss of a young artist with a promising professional trajectory.

Max was an incredibly talented filmmaker and obviously this is devastating for the family. Our hearts go out to them.

Marie Sherlock, Labour TD for Dublin Central

Séamas McGrattan, a Sinn Féin councillor for Cabra, also expressed the community’s distress, noting that Hendrickson was a young, talented man and highlighting the tragedy of his passing so shortly after his early success at the film awards.

The loss of Hendrickson represents a significant blow to the student body at IADT and the broader network of young Irish filmmakers who viewed him as a peer and an inspiration.