Documentary
The Swimming Diaries
Dir: Susan Thomson. 2023.
102’ Reel Arts
The Swimming Diaries originated as a book, a memoir exactly 25,000 words long, with each word representing one of the 25,000 metres or strokes swum by Susan Thomson during the month when her mother was dying. The film translates the book back into movement, hovering between experimental documentary, musical theatre and contemporary opera to trace a journey from life to death. Thomson’s moving tribute, a feminist exploration of matrilineal creativity, is at times surreal – conjuring the effects of morphine taken in the last stages of illness, as it interweaves choral, orchestral and pop music, and a vivid mosaic of underwater imagery, dance sequences and archive video of musicals directed by her mother.
Tackling The All Blacks
Dir: Ross Whitaker. 2022.
1 x 50’ RTE One. Edited with John Murphy.
Before the summer of 2022 Ireland had never won a Test match against New Zealand on their home patch. The documentary contains never before seen footage and interviews with players and coaches reflecting on their experiences across the tour.
Ireland's Dirty Laundry
Dir: Gerry Gregg. 2022.
2 x 50’ RTE One & 1 x 90' for ARTE (France & Germany)
For seven decades, the Irish State conspired with families, parishes and religious congregations to imprison and enslave over 10,000 Irish girls and women in the so-called Magdalene Laundries. After decades of silence, survivors of that system now share their experiences during and since their incarceration, and reveal how, even today, they are having to fight for the care, redress and acknowledgement that was promised to them.
Coming Home – When Dublin Honoured the Magdalenes
Dir: Nuala Cunningham, Ciaran O'Connor. 2019.
The area of Dawson St in Dublin outside the Mansion Home has been the scene of many a joyous homecoming but surely none so emotionally charged as the evening of 5th June 2018, when 250 survivors of the Magdalene Laundries and their families were honoured and celebrated by the City of Dublin. Centred on a series of interviews with the Magdalene survivors, "Coming Home..." tells the story of those 2 dramatic days in Dublin.
Chester Beatty – Honorary Irishman
Dir: Ruth O'Looney. 2018.
2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Chester Beatty who was responsible foramassing what has been called the finest private collection of manuscripts and books of the20th century. As a result of his gift to the nation Beatty became the first person to receivehonorary citizenship of Ireland and upon his death, the first private citizen in Irish history everto receive a state funeral.
This documentary offers us a unique insight into the man, his amazing collection and thework that goes into preserving it.
Thinking Outside the Box: Schrödinger in Ireland
Dir: Ciaran O'Connor. 2018.
In 1943 Prof Erwin Schrödinger gave a series of lectures in Trinity College Dublin entitled “What is Life?”. It would lead to one of the greatest developments in modern science. 75 years on from those momentous lectures, Ireland’s Prof Luke O’Neill, a world-leading Immunologist has some questions. Who was Erwin Schrödinger? What was the impact of his work? And how on earth did a Nobel prize winning physicist end up in Ireland just before the outbreak of WWII?!
GHOST EMPIRE
Dir: Susan Thomson. 2014-2017.
Series of films on LGBT rights and British colonialism.
Ghost Empire § Cyprus is the first film in the Ghost Empire project series, looking at British colonial laws still in existence which criminalize homosexuality in over 40 countries worldwide. There have been numerous recent arrests of gay men in Northern Turkish occupied Cyprus, including even the former Finance Minister of the Republic of Cyprus, under a British colonial law dating from 1889, due to be repealed before the end of 2013. The film looks at the internationally unrecognized North of Cyprus, the last divided capital of Europe and also the last place in Europe to criminalize homosexuality.The next films will be on Singapore and then Jamaica, where legal challenges are taking place (2 constitutional challenges, two petitions to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights respectively) and the live film which will incorporate activists and lawyers from all continents.
Ghost Empire § Singapore looks at the law which criminalizes homosexuality in Singapore with a two year prison sentence. Section 377A, which criminalizes "gross indecency" between males, is based on the Victorian era Labouchère amendment, the same law which convicted Oscar Wilde a century ago. This film looks at two constitutional challenges being taken by Tan Eng Hong and Gary Lim and Kenneth Chee, one resulting from a conviction as the result of sex in a public toilet, the other brought by a couple who have been together 16 years. This is the second film in the Ghost Empire series which looks at the impact of British colonialism on laws around the world. Half of the 82 countries which currently criminalize homosexuality use colonial laws or revised versions of these laws. The film also explores state censorship, Christianity and other colonial legacies including the death penalty.
Ghost Empire § Singapore
THOU ART: DUBLIN
Dir: Camille Wiener. 2012. 50 min
Thou Art: Dublin is an experimental documentary that attempts to paint an intimate portrait of the artistic and cultural life of Dublin. Set in post-Celtic Tiger Ireland, the film documents the efforts of five artists as they communicate the vision of their work amid the difficulties of the recession. Utilizing stylized surveillance effects and a range of elements suggestive of war journalism and combat film making, a small film crew tells this story by covertly exploring Dublin’s cityscape with the aim to retrieve the art community from the isolation and oppression of the recession. The narrative is composed of alternating scenes of the cultural life of Dublin, highlighting architecture, public art and historical sites, inter cut with interviews of the five artists at work in their studios.
Thou Art: Dublin trailer
LIVES ON THE LINE
New Decade. Dir: Nuala Cunnigham. 52 min.
Narrated by Martin Sheen
On the morning of the 4th September, 2008 Yuri Melini was leaving his mother's house in the Castillo Lara region in Guatemala City. A stranger called out for his attention before firing 16 shots at him hitting his legs and upper body. He spent 68 days in intensive care and received 18 blood transfusions. Nobody has been charged with the attack.
This is regarded unfortunately as an 'occupational hazard' for Dr Melini who is the Director of CALAS, an organisation working for the protection of the collective rights of Guatemala's natural environment and its indigenous communities.
Four years after the assassination attempt, and despite repeated intimidation and threats on his life and the lives of those closest to him, Yuri continues to fight to give a voice to the voiceless and to stand up to the powerful governmental and multi-national corporations. His mission: to uphold the rights of the Guatemalan people and their environment.
He has been helped in his work by Frontline Defenders, an Irish-based international organisation dedicated to offering practical support to human rights defenders throughout the world. This film follows Mary Lawlor, the head of Frontline Defenders, as she travels to Guatemala to see how Yuri is doing and to find out how his work is progressing.
"Lives on the Line" throws a spotlight on the extraordinary determination and courage of Yuri Melini and equally of those in his organisation as they fight the dark and often dangerous forces who seek to silence them. Located in one of the most stunningly beautiful countries in the world, the film offers a different perspective into their harsh, frightening and under-reported lives.
Lives on the Line trailer
THAT SPURS THE MONK
Dir: Brian O'Neill. 8 min.
Tashi Mannox speaks of his childhood inspirations and magic that is insightful to the core of his artistry in Tibetan Calligraphy.
3-TRIÚR - IN SEARCH OF MUSICAL FORM
Anú Pictures. Dir: Dónal Ó Céilleachair. 2012. 50 min.
Co-edited with the director Dónal Ó Céilleachair.
3-Triúr (In Search of Musical Form)' is a creative documentary on the ongoing collaboration between 3 of Ireland’s most distinguished musicians - Peadar Ó Riada, Martin Hayes & Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh - in an intimate portrait of "the act and art of making music". It offers an opportunity to explore the music in an intimate and exciting format by masters of the art.
3-Triúr - in Search of Musical Form trailer
WATER RISING
Uma Produccions. Dir: Maureann de Barra, Aisling Crudden 2012. 50 min.
Water Rising is a feature length documentary about family, community, hope and change in Bolivia during an era of water privatisation. Filmed entirely in Bolivia, the film shares intimate portraits of people living in a ramshackle city where, despite an abundance of freshwater, they struggle for the right to access clean, safe and affordable water.Produced and directed by two independent Irish documentary makers during a period of massive social and political change, this film offers an intimate insight into the lives of three people- exploring their private, family and working lives- and of the city as a whole in a place where chaos, poverty and hope meet on the fringes of Bolivian society.
Water Rising trailer
DEFINING MOMENT
Lateral Vision Produccions. Dir: Martin McCann 2010. 84 min.
A feature Documentary on Irish Ultra Runner John O'Regan. Shot on location in Ireland, Greece, UK, French Alps. Sahara Desert, N.Pole Antarctica, and the Yukon Territory.A fascinating case of one person against the elements. What are the ingredients that make an ultra runner go through such grueling mental and physical pain? How is an ultra runner different from a marathon runner? This intriguing documentary reveals what makes him tick using the background story of his participation in the 2010 “Spartathlon”. Four hundred and fifty of the world’s top ultra runners passed the stringent entry criteria for the 246km non-stop race, but just 128 crossed the finish line within the 36 hour limit.
UKULI
Canacosmi Produccions. Dir: Maria José Cardona. 2009. 25 min.
The change from old to new has never been easy. It depends on where you have been born, the chances you have in life are different.In the south of Ethiopia a young hamer goes from youth to adulthood through an old ritual.
THE DREAM OF THE BAOBAB
Canacosmi Produccions. Dir: Laura Hernández. 2009. 50 min.
An African man explores the contradictions of the “European Dream,” which he discovers in his struggle to create a business in the shadow of a centuries-old tree.Winner of Best Documentary at Girona Film Festival 2010.Selected for the “Full Length Documentary of Original Film Competition” in Documenta Madrid 2010.
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SKIP-S
Dir: Eli McBett. 2007. 60 min.
Half documentary, half art installation. Skip-s tells the story of an art exhibition that took place in Kilmanhon gaol. The reaction from part of the public and the employees at the site was so bad the artist decided to destroy her work in a performance that took place in the jail.