Discoveries from Ireland World Cinema

Based upon a real-life meeting between a young sexual assault victim and her offender after his release from prison.

Waves is a visually breathtaking film about the power of the sea. Capturing the Atlantic Ocean in various moods as it crashes against the Irish coasts, the film is a hymn to the relentless power and endless beauty of this elemental force of nature. With coastal scenes harking back to the majesty of Flaherty’s Man of Aran (1934), Carey offers a unique sea-centred depiction of the islands as his painterly cinematography offers mesmerising images of roiling seas, waves crashing against the Aran rocks, sunsets and a golden full moon. John Taylor, friend and colleague of Carey, had originally worked on Man of Aran and filmed some of the additional photography in Waves.

Helene Alving leads an outwardly contented life. On the eve of the 10th anniversary of her husband's death, she is about to open an orphanage as a memorial to him. To mark this occasion, her bohemian painter son Oswald has returned from Paris. Helene plans to take the opportunity to tell Oswald the truth about his father. But ghosts of the past erupt during an eventful evening, bringing the facade of civilised family life crashing down.

The Northern Bank chain was owned by the National Australia Bank. Diana, a young Australian police detective who is in Belfast at the same time, seizes the opportunity to investigate the biggest crime of her career and prove herself to her misogynistic bosses back home who have passed her over for promotion. Diana is teamed with Crawford, a gruff, veteran Northern Irish police detective who does not want her help. As the case takes one more bizarre turn after another, Diana and Crawford learn to grudgingly respect each other. As they almost give up hope of catching the criminals, Diana comes up with an ingenious plan which will make the stolen millions worthless.

Out of prison at last, charismatic sociopath Neal tries to visit the baby son he's never seen, his indifferent parents, and the grave of his horse - not in that order. But mainly he wants to rejoin his old gang in the "pony club" subculture of the wild Northside- would be urban cowboys riding horses rough shod and bare back through the streets of Dublin. He then runs into the squealer who set him up.

The story of Simon Fitzmaurice, a young filmmaker who becomes completely paralyzed from motor neuron disease but goes on to direct an award-winning feature film through the use of his eyes.

The thriller Boxed addresses the little-known fact that the Irish Republican Army would bring in sympathetic priests to administer last rites to those they were about to execute. The film analyzes the fallout that occurs when one of these priests ha a change of heart, deciding to fight for the life of the captive.

When Ava’s wannabe-rock star fiancé Simon is a no-show on the big day, the trio embark on a fury-fuelled, mayhem-filled road trip to the West of Ireland to find (and possibly murder) the runaway groom who’s ditched the wedding for his big break at a music festival.

We meet John and Noreen, two young lovers from Boyle, Roscommon, at a turning point in their lives together. John wants to move the relationship forward in a certain way, but Noreen is less willing.

This story concerns a hapless civil servant who gets more than he bargains for when he moves into an apartment in Limerick with a gay fashion student and becomes a star on the catwalk. A contemporary story embracing the essence of what it is to be young in today's Ireland.

Éabha is a short drama about Ciarán, who is on a hiking date with Michael and suddenly experiences a regression to a previous life. He feels images of a young woman that start to intensify. While Michael is trying to understand, Ciarán goes deeper into his past life and experiences a woman's domestic violence and a miscarriage. In the turmoil of this regression, he finds the burial place of the woman's child and realizes: Not only has the woman lost her child, he has lost his Éabha, too.

The Irish musician Oisín (Tadgh Murphy) and his band come to Berlin for a few gigs. They are excited about the city and its legendary nightlife. As they unpack their things at the hostel, Oisín finds an envelope with money from his father in his pocket. Later, at their concert, everything seems to be going well - the boys are in a good mood, the audience is going along - when Oisín suddenly freaks out in the middle of the stage. The anger at his father for abandoning the family and the pain over his mother's death overwhelm him and he throws himself into Berlin's nightlife alone. When he meets the young, pretty Berliner Sabine (Aylin Tezel) and she shows him places far away from the party and tourist hotspots, he seems to find support with her.

Three sailors on leave turn a British town upside down.

A black man travelling across mid-sixties America stops at a motel for a quiet meal and a rest but interest from the locals turns out to be both a blessing and a curse.

Two reluctant companions, schoolmates on the mitch, roam through Dublin along the Royal Canal. An encounter with a stranger leaves one boy changed utterly. Loosely based on the James Joyce Dubliners short story.

Eddie Durkan, the self-proclaimed leader of the 'Bucks is dreading spending another summer bored out of his skull. Ireland has qualified for the Euros in Poland, but with no money and apathetic mates, the task falls to Eddie to get them out of Castletown and onto the road in search of football and the craic.

A woman's body is found under the waters of a lake in the countryside, and the arrival of a Detective from Dublin is the last thing Peggy, the owner of Casey's Pub, needs as she tries to save her business and her family.

"Man of Arran" is a cinematic exploration of the beauty of Ireland's coastline, juxtaposed with the inner strength of 83-year-old Paddy Conaghan, a man who refuses to let age define him. Embarking on an extraordinary adventure: circumnavigating Ireland, diving into winter seas, literally immersing himself in Irelands rugged coastal beauty, and promoting the cause of mental health awareness. Through, stunning visuals, heartfelt interviews, and Paddy's captivating storytelling, Man of Arran aims to transport the audience into Paddy's world and his mission.

Champion drifter James Deane is set to make history in the US championship Formula Drift, attempting to win the championship three times in a row. Derailed by unsuspected obstacles, perspectives shift as he fights to stay on the track.

While Sandra opens up to a documentary film crew, flashbacks show her teenage son, Stephen, mysteriously kidnapping a toddler, and holding him captive. Eventually, the stories intersect to explain the abduction and the family's three-generation legacy of abuse in this mesmerizing psychological drama.

It’s a hot summer and a young inner-city boy, Donal, is trying his hand at cutting lawns for pocket money. When he meets Gerry, his luck changes.

A last laugh tale of two old friends, their teeth and a fishing trip that leaves them lost for words.

Documentary tracing the life of James Ellis, one of Northern Ireland’s best loved actors.

The historical true story of the Lynch Family, the Irish Ribbonmen and British who occupied the Irish territory in 1816. With the bicentennial of the burning of Wild Goose Lodge and the centennial of Michael Collins and the Rising upcoming, this historical feature is rich in Irish culture and explanation of some interesting history. Shot entirely in Ireland, the production value and cinematography on this film is truly award winning. Logline: The Lynch Family try to defend themselves against the British and their own Irish heritage when their home is broken into by local villagers and a report of the break in leads to the hanging of the culprits by the British magistrate, much to the surprise of the Lynch family and the local Irish neighbors. The local Ribbonmen vow revenge again Lynch, while the town priest tries to maintain peace within the village.

A man trapped in the confines of a corporate poster tries to escape and become part of the street art on the opposite wall.

Robert Gorilla, a swindling estate agent, showcases a brand new property nestled in a lively yet peaceful neighbourhood.

Through The Storm is a majestic animated experience from Irish CG animator Fred Burdy. The bold storyline is about Alice confronting a Banshee when she is told about her husband’s death at sea. Baffled, Alice catches the Banshee’s magical necklace and forces her to travel together to the Otherworld, where Alice hopes to bring her husband back from the dead. But the Banshee, intrigued and amused by the human’s unusual behavior, has other plans.

Mags, a hot-headed pizza delivery cyclist who reckons herself to be entirely self-sufficient, is just about getting by during the property crisis in Dublin. When her bike is stolen and she loses her job, her eviction seems inevitable. With nowhere else to go, Mags must hunt down the thief who stole her bike and steal it right back. Mags must overcome her aversion to asking for help if she’s going to succeed, because this is no ordinary thief she’s hunting … Part investigative thriller, part heist, and part magical-realist action comedy, Bicycle Thieves: Pumped Up is a wild ride from start to finish.

The series follows four close friends who live in the all too depressing yet fictional village of Greyville, Ireland. The kind of place you would expect barely anything to happen. But for Eoin McGintley, Patrick Quinn, James Dames, and Marky Mac, the four of whom are just trying to find some adventure and a few laughs, it becomes the epicentre for their many outright whacky and foolish shenanigans as the lads try to just have fun with what little youth they have left now that adulthood lies closer around the corner for this group of immature teens.

GAZA brings us into a unique place beyond the reach of television news reports to reveal a world rich with eloquent and resilient characters, offering us a cinematic and enriching portrait of a people attempting to lead meaningful lives against the rubble of perennial conflict. Throughout its entire history the Gaza Strip has been witness to conflict and upheaval. From ancient times this tiny coastal territory, located at a crossroads between continents, has been a pawn whose fate rested in the hands of powerful neighbours.

When Matthew explores the 'spiral' in his grandmother's garden (a strange structure built by his late grandfather) he discovers an entrance into the magical world of 'the Shadows' where he meets his new Shadow friends, Yorrick and Alice, and begins his great adventure.

An exploration of masculinity and violence. A story of obsession and revenge, as a man tries to come to terms with a brutal, random attack and its consequences.

Successful writer Anna James rents a remote farmhouse in England to begin work on the latest of a series of teen crime novels. But soon her idyll becomes unsettled by the presence of an unquiet spirit - former lady of the house, Winifred Meeks. As Anna delves into her writing, she also determines to uncover the history of the property and with that, unwittingly move closer to a disturbing confrontation with the tragic figure that continues to hold sway within the walls of Seaview House.

A gathering of friends is thrown into chaos by the opening of a mysterious fiery sinkhole near their secluded holiday home.

A millionaire returns to Ireland and loses his gold nuggets before disappearing and sparking a gold rush.

Mark and Sophie plan to rob a post office but as things go awry, they each discover what they're really made of.

Curly Mulligan is the pupil who brings the headmaster a full fry-up every morning. When the head finds a hair in his breakfast, all hell breaks loose.

Set in San Francisco, Violet is an overlooked bank teller whose life takes a turn when a rogue FBI agent manipulates her into robbing her own bank, but the heist is just the opening move in a much bigger con.

Every night, around the world, couples fall asleep side by side, trusting they know what lies beside them. But tonight, in this apartment, something evil is about to show its true face.

'Repetition' is an attempt to convey the importance of our endless endeavours toward human development and growth amidst a chaotic and disorienting landscape.

Sean is a young labourer newly appointed to tend the grounds of Falgirth, a stately manor in 19th C Ireland. But a secret romance results in a possessive, power-play and a betrayal that can never be forgiven.

Shortly after the nuclear Chornobyl disaster in 1986, a father risks his life and returns to his deserted apartment to retrieve his front door.

An old blind beggar and an old cripple in a wheelchair meet on a desolate street corner. The latter proposes that the two form an alliance, but the men are not destined to get along together.

A nostalgic look back at the heady days of Irish Eurovisions.

A lonely man turns to virtual reality to escape his sad, boring life. In the virtual world, he discovers a new life and loses touch with the real world.

Dance culture brings communities together in 1990s Belfast but there will be consequences.

When an oppressive immigration detention center becomes infected with a mysterious illness causing mass hysteria, an interpreter battles to protect a newly arrived orphan as well as find her way back to her three-year-old daughter at the other side of the facility before it’s too late.

Lydia battles with visions of tragedy when it comes time for her to make important decisions.

When spoiled heir Boyd Grayson is left handless after an accident, his domineering mother Jacqueline spares no expense rebuilding him with radical new tech: prosthetic hands powered by his subconscious. Only trouble is, Boyd's subconscious is anything but pristine!

Filmed at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast for BBC's Lights Up season of theatrical films, David Ireland's play concerns Sadie, a sharp tongued Belfast cleaner, who must confront painful episodes from her turbulent life.

Jake Solomon receives an invite to a secret Halloween party in an abandoned factory. Following a mysterious woman in red, he finds far more than he bargained for in the depths of the building.

A middle-aged bachelor farmer living in rural Ireland has to deal with isolation and loneliness.

Amnesty International (Ireland) presents "Stop! You're Killing Me" which features the very best of Irish comedy performed in support of Human Rights. Recorded live at Dublin's Vicar Street Comedy Club in November 2004, the stellar line up of Irish comedians includes acts from Tommy Tiernan (Supertramp), Dylan Moran (Black Books), Ardal O'Hanlon (Father Ted), Dara O'Briain (The Live Floor Show) and performances from other well known Irish comedians such as Eddie Bannon, Des Bishop, Jason Byrne and Mark Geary. Available for the first time on DVD, this is a quick fire show from a new generation of Irish comics and is your chance to laugh and support a great cause at the same time!

13 year-old David and nine year-old Danni live in a children's home, where despite the best of adult intentions, there is conflict and sudden tragedy. When the pair escape the home, they embark upon a daring adventure in search of the beach.

Two bureaucrats discuss the potential suicide of a man standing perfectly still in front of a door that opens into the night sky and a fatal drop.

The fearless Colombian philosopher-politician-teacher Antanas Mockus and his followers struggle for peace in a country with the longest running internal conflict in the world.

For Heather music is everything. Following in her mother's footsteps, Heather has always dreamed about getting into Juilliard and becoming a classical pianist. But all her dreams get shattered the day her mum dies. Left with nothing but a piano and debts, Heather's only option is to move in with her estranged father and half-brother. When her application for a scholarship is rejected, Heather's last hope to see her Big Dream come true is swept away. Until one day she meets Toby, a hip and handsome music store owner who opens up a whole new world to her - the world of DJ-ing and dance music. Heather is carried away by this enticing underground world, and her heart starts to beat again to the rhythm of a new life - and a new love. Heather eventually finds herself torn between two worlds of music and as her audition approaches, time comes for her to choose. And for the first time in her life she starts questioning what it is that she really desires.

Five office workers are taken hostage by shy colleague Neil and his evil hand-puppet Morgan. They have one request: their boss's head on a plate. Tensions mount, and as the cops arrive, Morgan grows impatient...

Two years after a traumatic car-accident which has left a young girl in a catatonic vegetative state, the man who put her there seeks out her mother to atone for his crimes. However, he soon discovers that righting his wrongs may take more than what he’s prepared to give.

The story of the 18th century Arabian colt that would go on to sire the modern thoroughbred bloodline, tracing the path of the so-called Darley stallion from the stables of the Moroccan sultan through to the courts of England and France.