Discoveries from Ireland World Cinema

Short film produced to promote Ireland's sport fishing and tourism industries.

A poetic account of Cork and its surrounding areas.

A doomsday virus of madness and death has destoyed the world's adult population. Only the young survive. They watch in horror as their parents go mad and die. Haunted by terrifying memories, they fight for life in a bleak wasteland. Gangs of teens and outlaw children roam the scarred landscape. Sisters Evie and Fran keep to themselves, two outsiders gathering food and moving from town to town.

A short film, featuring windows.

The personal story of one man’s relationship with dolphins; a relationship that has evolved over the last 20 years that Ken O’Sullivan has been a natural history film-maker, through countless hours he has spent in their presence, and in their world. It is also a broader examination of the human cultural relationship with dolphins. Few creatures stir our emotions and imagination in the way that dolphins do, and in the same way Ken’s relationship with them has become more nuanced and complex over the years, the film explores the shifting pubic attitudes towards them. We are no longer comfortable to keep these highly intelligent social animals confined in aquaria, or romanticise and simplify their complex lives, but where has our perception of dolphins settled and are we getting closer to understanding the true nature of these creatures? This film has been a true passion project for Ken, I hope you will find it beautiful, thought provoking and enlightening.

There is a new banker in town, making his name, scorching the earth under distressed borrowers. While unwinding in a local pub, he discovers a further business opportunity.

A father and daughter live life on the fringes of a dystopian future. They kill two survivors of a gang skirmish leading to the arrival of a nefarious man who will hunt them down.

The day after a wild opening night, an actress races to the theatre, late for an important performance. As she prepares to go onstage, she tries to piece together “the happening” from the previous night.

This short film was made by filmmaker (later archivist) Liam Ó Laoghaire (aka Liam O’Leary) and was commissioned by the Cultural Relations Committee of the Irish Department of External Affairs. The film was designed to promote the city of Dublin to its inhabitants and to potential visitors from abroad. Brendan J. Stafford’s crisp black and white cinematography serves the city’s elegant architecture well while the narrator tells of the city’s cultural, literary and architectural history and its many venerable inhabitants. The elegant Georgian squares, the bustling markets, the tranquil parks and the sparkling nightlife present a city that is vibrant, cultured and steeped in history.

Andy is heartbroken when his girlfriend of nearly 10 years dumps him. His best friend Mandy tries to cheer him up by letting him have a go on her bike but she's shocked when he tells her he never learned how to cycle, so Mandy makes a bet that she can teach him how to ride a bike in less than a week.

Combining talking head testimony with elegantly recreated scenes, this extraordinary, daring documentary tells the previously unheard story of how women who loved other women contributed to the fight for Irish independence from the British Empire. A vital contribution to charting an essential gay history of Ireland, Croíthe Radacacha (which is translated as ‘radical hearts’) depicts lesbians at the heart of the Irish revolution as uncompromising in their politics, committed to feminism, socialism and equal rights. Many would take arms in the struggle and many would die. Ciara Hyland’s film nobly revives their memory and acknowledges their courage.

A short documentary film uncovering Japanese photographer Akihiko Okamura's extraordinary work in Ireland during the Troubles, and the artistic and emotional impact of its recent rediscovery. After a first trip in 1968 on JFK's footsteps, Okamura moved to Ireland in 1969 with his family, and spent the next 15 years of his life photographing the north and the south of the island. Exploring his unique perspective as both an insider and an outsider, this short film offers a nuanced portrayal of the complexities and contradictions of human nature. Through interviews, archival footage, and Okamura's own evocative photographs, we invite audiences to contemplate the universal themes of resilience, empathy, and the enduring quest for peace in the face of adversity. "The Memories of Others" is a testament to the power of visual storytelling in capturing the essence of human experiences amidst conflict.

Irish and international folk musicians listen to and play music, sing, dance and drink, and enjoy the craic at a ‘Fleadh’ – a traditional Irish music festival – described as the ‘Mardi Gras of Ireland’ in 1960s Kilrush, county Clare.

The tragic and shocking story of the notorious Magdalene Laundries, a shameful system, created by the Irish State but supported by all strata of Irish society, which enslaved more than ten thousand women between 1922 and 1996.

In a remote rural estate house, a woman sleeps, she is alone. It’s a time not far from the dawn of the moving image, the obsessed and wealthy Dr. Epstein engineers a number of scientific experiments. He subjects his adopted children, Pete and Re-Pete, along with his darling flapper, Baby Dee, to his various scientific tasks. Things take a decidedly strange turn when Epstein makes a deal with some shifty-looking vagabonds. On doing so he opens a door to the unknown, ruptures the fabric of time and unleashes a shadow-like character bent on reducing all those he encounters to dust.

Documentary that follows the lives of two pirates and their community on the Somali coastline; what are the incentives of the pirates, why did they become pirates, how did they grow up in a country with political chaos, war and extreme poverty? The narrative structure is built around two interweaving story-lines; one depicting the "present", the daily lives of the pirates and their community, and the second in the "past", revealing through epic animation, the unfolding of a recent hijacking.

Imelda May explores the legacy of Susan and Elizabeth Yeats, two sisters who played a significant role in the revival of Irish literature in the 1920s.

By inviting scientists to share memories of what sparked their imaginations, Wonder House is an exploration of how childhood objects and environments develop young minds. Taking these insights as a starting point and adopting the metaphor of a young girl discovering an old house, Wonder House combines live choreography and stop-motion animation with real scientists' voices to offer a synthesis of fact and fiction, science and art, imagination and reality.

Children learn through play in Irish Montessori schools in the 1970s, accompanied by voiceover explaining the Montessori method and jaunty jazz flute. The three schools featured in Páistí ag Obair are Tigh na nÓg, Blessington; St Kieran’s School, Bray; and The Children’s House, Stilllorgan. Oscar Nominee: Best Documentary Short, 1974

Described by one critic as 'Ballykissangel meets Apollo 13', this short (26 minute) film is based on the extraordinary true story of a Donegal 'ham' radio enthusiast who made contact with a Soviet cosmonaut stranded on the MIR Space station during the summer of 1991.

The Winter Solstice as seen through the lens of a Super 8 road movie; a vignette painted through impressions of the land, the sights, the sounds and the local radio stations.

Fleeing a long-term relationship, a young man seeks refuge with his best friends. After discovering their strange instruments, he'll learn the bachelor lifestyle is not as sweet as it sounds.

Comerford's first digital short which evolved into an installation, is an audacious blur of ugliness and beauty. Drawing on found footage from personal archives, it outlines an encounter between a man and a woman in a stolen car.

During the peak of lockdown in July 2020 Fontaines D.C. performed an electric live set in the iconic location of Kilmainham Gaol as part of Other Voices Courage 2020. That celebrated performance has since been released as a limited edition LP for Record Store Day 2021 which reached number 7 in the charts and was nominated for best Livestream at the prestigious Libera Awards in 2021 where they took how the Best Rock Record award.

Through his eyes follows the story of Ryan throughout various stages of his life and tells the story of how he ended up where he is today, a homeless drug addict. Ryan had all the potential in the world but one wrong choice changed the path of his future.

In this Lego stop-motion animated short brickfilm, an astronaut mysteriously trapped in space recounts how things could have been different

Emigration, mythology, consumerism, socialism, the place of the church in Irish life, the central role of land in Irish history, and the sense of a civic society are explored in a series of conversations and imagery.

John Giles wants to tell his life story, in his own words. Sticking with the habit of a lifetime, he’s going to say it as he sees it. This is the tale of a young Dublin boy raised in the inner city markets area, a gifted teenager who signed for the Busby Babes two years before the Munich Air disaster, who grew into one of the most revered names in English soccer with an all conquering Leeds United team. It is the story of a father figure of Irish soccer who went on to manage for club and country and who with Eamonn Dunphy became one of the most memorable double acts in the history of Irish television. This documentary looks at key moments and memories in John’s life. In Ireland, locations will include his childhood home in Ormond Square in Dublin’s market areas, the famed Dalymount Park and the Wexford beaches where John and his family spent their holidays. In the UK, John visits the iconic Old Trafford, as well as making a trip to a crucial Leeds United game at Elland Road.

A teenage girl becomes obsessed with having the most perfect teeth imaginable and is willing to do anything to achieve this, including taking some experimental chewing gum.

The Runner is a film about endurance. It is the story of a champion long-distance runner whose journey transformed him from an athlete into the symbol of a national liberation movement. Salah Hmatou Ameidan is willing to risk his life, his career, his family and his nationality to run for a country that doesn't exist. He is from Western Sahara, officially Africa's last colony and under Moroccan occupation since 1975.

Gunnar, a fisherman torn between tradition and survival, faces chaos as buried secrets surface. When Investigator Felix arrives, dark truths begin to rise.

In post-apocalyptic Ireland, a suave American jet pilot tries to rescue a beautiful young woman from her domineering mother - but he soon finds out that around these parts, family can be deadly.

A writer with a vivid imagination and a quirky American satellite engineer meet by chance and begin a tentative romance.

The journey of a refugee does not come to an end when they reach their refuge. Instead, a new journey begins. A journey that brings its own struggles.

A portrait of the history and people of the city of Cork, Ireland.

A young woman in Ireland must make a life-changing decision when she discovers she's pregnant and faces the harsh reality of Ireland's lack of support for women in her situation.

'DoomDah', filmed at Dublin's Vicar Street May 2017 See Ireland's top comedy trio in HD perform to over a thousand people in their hometown of Dublin. Featuring sketches: Lanyard Guy, How to Speak Dublin and the Tallest Person Documentary amongst others.

When a young man drops out of school to care for his agoraphobic mother he too finds himself increasingly insulated from the outside world.

A cinematic journey into the heart of the Europe through the life-changing experience of young participants of Erasmus - the most ambitious mobility programme of our times. The film’s characters leave the comfort zone of their country, to prove to themselves that they can survive in a foreign environment, overcoming their fears and adapting to different cultures and mentalities. Set against the current European crisis, fueled by unprecedented youth unemployment and fears about the refugee situation, their journeys offer a bird’s-eye view of a continent in transition, giving a sense of what the future holds.

Fontaines D.C. perform A Hero’s Death in its entirety, for the first time. Captured in 2FM Radio’s studio in Montrose, Dublin, a space that is usually reserved for orchestra performances.

Overhead, The Albatross are a six piece instrumental outfit from Dublin.Known for their intricate yet powerful melodies and energetic stage presence, their sound combines a multitude of instruments which go beyond the normal boundaries of “post-rock” and delve into the realm of the cinematic. Layered strings, electronics and spacious synths combined with soaring guitars and powerful drums are used to create their unique sound. O,TA’s music journeys from delicate intimacy to epic triumphancy, touching everything in between. A much awaited debut album 'Learning To Growl' was released earlier this year with the group translating their explosive live sound into an album which sounds assured and dynamic throughout.

Government inquiry revealed a pattern of neglect, high child mortality rates and lack of burial records among mother and baby homes once run by Ireland's religious orders. Mothers recount the shame and secrecy attached to pregnancy outside marriage and their long struggle to be reunited with the children that many claim were illegally adopted, while adoptees reveal how they were thwarted from accessing birth records.

Shy high-schooler Dierdre is drawn out of her shell by bad girl Olive.

The story of barbaric murders committed in the midst of a rural community in Joyce Country, on the border between counties Galway and Mayo in 1882 and the subsequent trial in Dublin. The trial led to the unjust hanging or life imprisonment of innocent people based on the testimonies of false witnesses and the dishonesty of the British authorities and the gentry.

A pious doctor is forced to deal with a family matter whilst hiding under the bed of a stranger.

A young woman yields to a predetermined story. Someone’s son wrestles inside the abyss of his own skin. A woman’s face marked by hope, pain and triumph; a young girl rebels against expectation and success. Dolorosa is a short film reflecting on humanity in all its glory, innocence and desperation, power and vulnerability.

Prin was born in Jarai community in Vietnam's Central Highlands. She is six years old. In North Myanmar, teen years old Myu Lat Awng lives in a camp for Internally Displaced Persons because of border war. 14 years old Phout lives in kingdom of the million elephants. Deaf and mute, she has a whole different perception of life. 17 years old homeless Pagna dreams of studies and travels. Thookoloa is 21. Without any Thai identity papers, she left her mountains to find work in Bangkok. 34 years old Juliet lives happily with her husband and her four children in the Philippines. A grown-up orphan in Cebu’s trash dump site, she did everything to make her dreams become a reality. She is currently a primary school teacher. All these destinies tie, meet and assemble like pieces of one giant puzzle for one big adventure : Grandir (Growing up)

An elderly widower depends on his radio to keep a foothold in his routine, when it breaks, his daughter, who knows how important it is to him, is forced to pay more attention to her isolated father.

Short film by John Carney.

In 2011, the National Gallery of Ireland closed its doors at Merrion Square, and two thirds of the building, to begin one of the largest refurbishment projects in the history of the state. Six years later, after numerous delays and costing close to €30million, the NGI finally reopened the historic Dargan and Milltown wings in June 2017. This special observational documentary film secured unique access inside the walls of the National Gallery of Ireland, the nation’s most visited cultural attraction, while the institution goes through huge change. Three and a half years in the making, director Adrian McCarthy and Wildfire Films observed the day-to-day running of the institution while witnessing the transformation of the dilapidated historic Dargan and Milltown wings. A mammoth challenge for architects Heneghan Peng, the OPW and the construction team as they renovate a protected 150 year-old and 110 year-old building, while also opening up new spaces never-before-seen by the public.

After a brutal loss in his previous fight, amateur boxer Leo Smith comes back to the ring for a high-stakes rematch against his former opponent. With the fear from the loss eating at him, Leo’s coach Doyle must guide him to victory and prove to Leo that his loss doesn’t define him…

The story of how an extreme skate park was built in a chili field in Mexico.

Two young men fight over the inheritance of a small farm in West Kerry after the passing of their uncle, all is not as it seems.

All six actors who have played the legendary 007 are brought together through fascinating and revealing interviews.

A father takes desperate measures in the hopes of saving his son, but his actions soon become a distraction from what matters to him most.

Danny just got the best birthday present a boy could wish for — a radio-controlled robotic scumbag!

One sunny day in the Antarctic, a little fisher-penguin catches fish for his friends. They are impatient for more as always. Into this happy scene arrives a charming salesman. Dazzled by his confidence and his fish-shaped tie, the penguins follow him away, leaving the fisher-penguin alone. It’s not long before the group has returned, this time with a huge, heavy fishing machine. As it cranks into gear, the fisher-penguin looks at the ice worriedly…. this surely won’t end well…

Dublin, June 2024: thousands of men seeking asylum in Ireland are homeless. Olivia and her group of volunteers are trying to find safe locations where the men can sleep each night, but the government is actively enforcing its new policy against homeless encampments, and the far-right are lurking.

Tory Island, nine miles off the coast of Donegal is the most remote inhabited island off Ireland. Its notorious inaccessibility and unforgiving landscape has not deterred 150 people from making this island their home. Oileán Thoraí captures, over the course of eighteen months, the changing patterns of life on Tory. It’s an intimate portrayal, exploring the lives of the islanders, their character and community.

Documentary about how the Irish remember those who fought in the 1916 Easter Rising and the ensuing civil war.