{"id":23958,"date":"2025-05-28T09:08:35","date_gmt":"2025-05-28T08:08:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/?p=23958"},"modified":"2025-05-28T09:18:12","modified_gmt":"2025-05-28T08:18:12","slug":"docs-ireland-launches-its-seventh-festival-programme-celebrating-documentary-legends-and-announces-new-irish-language-talent-development-scheme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/2025\/05\/docs-ireland-launches-its-seventh-festival-programme-celebrating-documentary-legends-and-announces-new-irish-language-talent-development-scheme\/","title":{"rendered":"Docs Ireland launches its seventh festival programme celebrating documentary legends and announces new Irish Language Talent Development Scheme"},"content":{"rendered":"

Docs Ireland returns to Belfast this June (23rd<\/sup>-29th<\/sup>) with its seventh programme, showcasing hard-hitting, eye-opening, and life-affirming documentaries from Ireland and around the world.<\/h4>\n

\"\"Dedicated to powerful non-fiction storytelling through premieres, screenings, and awards, it also features a robust industry programme, connecting filmmakers with leading commissioners and film financiers, drawing a host of influential industry representatives to the city.<\/p>\n

Highlights include a screening of Werner Herzog\u2019s\u00a0Grizzly Man<\/em>\u00a0with live commentary from editor Joe Bini, special screenings celebrating Irish documentary legend Bob Quinn, an exploration of David Lynch through documentary, IGNITE-Docs LASAIR a new Irish language Talent development programme,\u00a0<\/em>and a host of brand new documentaries from across the island of Ireland and around the world.<\/p>\n

GALA SCREENINGS<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Docs Ireland, in partnership with Queen\u2019s University Belfast, is honoured to welcome former US senator\u00a0<\/strong>George Mitchell<\/strong>\u00a0for a Gala Screening and world premiere of\u00a0The Negotiator\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>directed by\u00a0<\/strong>Trevor Birney<\/strong>\u00a0(producer of\u00a0Kneecap<\/em><\/strong>). The film explores Mitchell\u2019s involvement in chairing the talks process that culminated in the Good Friday\/Belfast agreement and will be followed by a Q&A with\u00a0Senator George Mitchell\u00a0<\/strong>and hosted by\u00a0Miriam O\u2019Callaghan<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Closing Docs Ireland this year will be the award-winning debut feature by Belfast-based artist\u00a0Myrid Carten<\/strong>,\u00a0A Want In Her<\/em><\/strong>. A deeply personal, beautifully conveyed film which explores the filmmaker’s relationship with her mother. Her search takes her into a feuding family, a contested house; and a history that threatens to take everyone down, including herself.<\/p>\n

SPECIAL EVENTS\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

This year Docs Ireland is excited to celebrate the work of three filmmakers whose impact on the world of film cannot be underestimated. World class editor\u00a0Joe Bini<\/strong>\u00a0(You Were Never Really Here<\/em><\/strong>,\u00a0My Best Fiend<\/em><\/strong>,\u00a0All the Beauty and the Bloodshed<\/em><\/strong>) will be live and in person at QFT for a live commentary on\u00a0Werner Herzog<\/strong>\u2019s classic\u00a0Grizzly Man.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The legendary Bob Quinn will be celebrated with an award for Outstanding Contribution to Irish Documentary alongside screenings of his films\u00a0The Family<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Atlantean<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0and no festival would be complete without a weird and wonderful exploration of the work of\u00a0David Lynch<\/strong>\u00a0in the\u00a0The Pink Room – A Night Of David Lynch Talking And Being Talked About.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

This Docs Ireland moves outside of Belfast for one night only for a special world premiere screening of\u00a0Music For Domes<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0directed by Dawn Richardson from Hosta Projects and scored by R\u00d3IS, at the Armagh Planetarium.<\/p>\n

Live performances accompanying documentaries have become a staple of Docs Ireland.\u00a0Docs Ireland\u2019s Night for Palestine<\/strong>\u00a0will bring together artists from throughout Ireland to raise money for Palestine with a night of live music, poetry readings and talks, ending in a DJ set by\u00a0<\/strong>David Holmes.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

NEW IRISH DOCUMENTARY<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Docs Ireland is dedicated to introducing the best in new Irish documentary and this is exemplified in the annual\u00a0Pull Focus Irish Documentary Competition<\/strong>. From an investigation into the disappeared in\u00a0Hunting Captain Nairac<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0by\u00a0Alison Millar<\/strong>, an exploration of folk horror in 1970s Northern Ireland in\u00a0Operation Bogeyman<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0by\u00a0Simon Aeppli,<\/strong>\u00a0Latina, Latina<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0by\u00a0<\/strong>Adrian Duncan<\/strong>\u00a0and voiced by\u00a0Wendy Erskine\u00a0<\/strong>which follows an Irish geologist who discovers the diaries of her estranged father from fascist-era Italy and\u00a0Born that Way<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0by\u00a0\u00c9amon Little\u00a0<\/strong>exploring disability, care and the life of Music journalist Patrick Lydon in the last years of his life.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s Pull Focus competition also includes two documentaries in the Irish language; a career at a crossroads is explored in\u00a0Paddy Hayes\u2019<\/strong>\u00a0Irish language documentary\u00a0David Keenan: Focla Ar Chanbh\u00e1s\/ Words on Canvas<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Ag Taisteal Siar\/Travelling Back<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0takes a look at music in the Irish traveller community.<\/p>\n

This year the festival will recognise acclaimed Irish cinematographer, stills photographer and documentary director Ross McDonnell, who tragically lost his life in 2023 with\u00a0the Ross McDonnell Award for Best Cinematography in an Irish Feature<\/strong>, the winner of which will be selected from the films nominated for the Pull Focus Irish Documentary Competition by an independent jury.<\/p>\n

Belfast Docs,<\/strong>\u00a0a programme of short film created with The Hearth (commissioned by Belfast 2024), will see the world premiere of three short documentaries made in collaboration with Belfast community groups;\u00a0Seeking Home<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0directed by\u00a0Gillian Callan<\/strong>,\u00a0Stranded Dreams<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0directed by\u00a0Alison Millar<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Ardoyne Youth Club<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0directed by\u00a0Se\u00e1n Murray.<\/strong><\/p>\n

INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Docs Ireland\u2019s\u00a0Maysles Documentary Competition\u00a0<\/strong>celebrates the best in international observational documentary. This year sees films from six different countries and four continents;\u00a0Always: (A Letter to Childhood)<\/em><\/strong>, a poetic coming of age exploration from China,Bogancloch<\/em><\/strong>,\u00a0Ben Rivers\u2019<\/strong>\u00a0follow up to the award-winning\u00a0Two Years At Sea<\/em><\/strong>, is a subtle depiction of a quiet life in Scotland, from the same filmmakers as Oscar winning\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>20 Days in Mariupol,<\/em><\/strong>\u00a02000 Meters to Andriivka<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0is a devastating account of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.<\/p>\n

Docs Ireland this year will focus on three countries\u00a0Palestine, Poland<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Kenya<\/strong>. Alongside\u00a0How to Build a Library\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>is\u00a0Shadow Scholars<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0which explores the hidden industry of essay writing, directed by\u00a0Elo\u00efse King<\/strong>\u00a0and executive produced by\u00a0Steve McQueen<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

A collection of short films,\u00a0From Ground Zero<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0by Palestinian filmmakers document the devastation of the destruction of Gaza and also the resilience of the Palestinian people, and\u00a0A State of Passion\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>follows heroic doctor\u00a0Ghassan Abu Sittah<\/strong>\u00a0as he faces his sixth war in Gaza and fights to bring vital medical care to the people of Gaza during the ongoing genocide.<\/p>\n

Finally, this year Docs Ireland\u2019s spotlight on Poland, in partnership with Krakow Film Festival, alongside Silent Trees brings short film\u00a0Talking Heads<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(1981) and\u00a0Everything Needs to Live\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>which follows the unusual life of athlete and animal rights activist Anna Kurkurina.<\/p>\n

SHORTS\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Docs Ireland celebrates the contribution of short filmmakers to the Irish documentary landscape with two\u00a0shorts competition programmes<\/strong>\u00a0and 4\u00a0shorts selection programmes\u00a0<\/strong>exploring everything from Belfast lamp lighters to queer nightlife in Dublin to the British Sumo wrestling championships,\u00a0aemi<\/strong>\u00a0(Artists and Experimental Image) return to Docs Ireland with a curated programme including shorts from\u00a0Sarah Browne<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Omar Chowdhury\u00a0<\/strong>which engage in humour and performance, and both\u00a0<\/strong>Ulster University<\/strong>\u00a0and the\u00a0Centre for Documentary Research at Queens University Belfast<\/strong>\u00a0present a series of short showcases and talks.<\/p>\n

INDUSTRY<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Docs Ireland returns with a jam-packed industry programme of workshops, panels and networking opportunities. The\u00a0BFI Doc Society\u2019s<\/strong>\u00a0Creative Documentary Making in Focus<\/strong>\u00a0will present the first roundtable addressing issues in the documentary film industry across\u00a0both the UK and Ireland.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0How to Fund Market and Sell a Documentary in a Post-Covid Landscape<\/strong>\u00a0panel will provide vital industry insight into sustainable documentary filmmaking in our current landscape. This will be followed by a screening of\u00a0Tom Burke<\/strong>\u2019s documentary\u00a0The Gap in Consent<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0in which he spoke to Irish filmmakers about the complicated issue of consent and documentary participants.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Anatomy of the Frame<\/strong>\u00a0panel with world-class filmmakers such as\u00a0Kate McCullough (An Cail\u00edn Ci\u00fain\/ The Quiet Girl<\/em>,\u00a0Normal People<\/em>)\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0<\/strong>Magda Kowalczyk (Cow, High & Low – John Galliano<\/em>),<\/strong>\u00a0will be a fascinating deep dive into the work of cinematographers in documentary; the return of the\u00a0Northern Ireland Screen Pitch in association with Yellowmoon<\/strong>\u00a0and Docs Ireland\u2019s Industry flagship\u00a0Marketplace\u00a0<\/strong>will bring decision makers from throughout the industry to Belfast to meet with filmmakers.<\/p>\n

In collaboration with Cork International Film Festival, Docs Ireland has announced the first short documentary in the Irish language training\/mentorship programme, supported by TG4, and the Irish Language Broadcast Fund. LASAIR New Talent Development scheme is an extension\u00a0 of the IGNITE-Docs talent development programme which is currently in its fifth year.<\/p>\n

Michele Devlin, Chief Executive at Docs Ireland said:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cAmong the international guests, Docs Marketplace and brilliant films, audiences will find stories about incredible music, film culture, social justice, current world conflicts and the people who strive to resolve them. Rare archive and modern tales sit alongside brand new exhibition concepts, with fusion events including documentary and theatre, a planetarium and a homage to the great David Lynch.\u00a0This year’s programme is bursting with creativity and talent from across the island of Ireland and beyond.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Richard Williams, Chief Executive at Northern Ireland Screen commented:\u00a0<\/strong>“We are proud to support Docs Ireland as it enters its seventh year, a festival that continues to be an important platform for both emerging and established documentary talent. Docs Ireland plays a key role in fostering cross-border collaboration, attracting international co-productions, and advancing the global reach of Irish documentary through sales and distribution opportunities. We\u2019re especially pleased to see the IGNITE-Docs initiative expand through LASAIR, a new strand for Irish language short documentaries, developed in partnership with the Irish Language Broadcast Fund and TG4. It\u2019s great to see the festival close with A Want In Her, directed by Myrid Carten \u2014 a project that received its first development grant at Northern Ireland Screen\u2019s inaugural pitch in 2019 and stands as a testament to the long-term impact of this festival and its partners.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Docs Ireland is supported by Northern Ireland Screen through the Department for Communities, Belfast City Council, F\u00eds \u00c9ireann\/Screen Ireland, BFI\/Film Hub NI, and British Council and is proudly sponsored by TG4, BBC NI, Yellowmoon, FinePoint Films and Stellify Media.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Docs Ireland returns to Belfast this June (23rd-29th) with its seventh programme, showcasing hard-hitting, eye-opening, and life-affirming documentaries from Ireland and around the world. Dedicated to powerful non-fiction storytelling through premieres, screenings, and awards, it also features a robust industry programme, connecting filmmakers with leading commissioners and film financiers, drawing a host of influential industry … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23958"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23958"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23958\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23962,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23958\/revisions\/23962"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23958"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23958"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23958"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}