More docs. More guests. More discussion. Day three of Docs Ireland delivered another extensive programme of films and talks for audiences across Belfast.
Docs Ireland was delighted to host a very, very special guest in Bernadette McAliskey for a screening of ‘Firing Line with William F. Buckley: Bernadette Devlin’ at QFT, followed by a Q & A. Bernadette also took part in a panel discussion at the Ulster Museum on the ‘State of the Place’, looking at the future for the island of Ireland post Brexit. Joining Bernadette on the panel was academic Sophie Long, writer Susan McKay, journalist Paul Gosling and writer Una Mullaly. Sarah Jankowitz of the Institute of Irish Studies tweeted, “Absolutely brilliant panel brought together for Docs Ireland,” while documentary filmmaker Ulrike Kubatta said, “Provocative ‘State of the Place’ panel at Docs Ireland yesterday. So impressed by Bernadette Devlin! What a woman!”
Later in the evening Docs Ireland also had the privelige of hosting several Irish filmmakers, including Seamus Murphy, Treasa O’Brien,Adrian Duncan, Feargal Ward and Keith Walsh, who all took part in Q & As following screenings of their films. Director and journalist Sinead O’Shea tweeted about Seamus Murphy’s film, “If you love PJ Harvey, as I do, you will love A DOG CALL MONEY. It also features deeply beautiful moments from around the world. Great film by Seamus Murphy at Docs Ireland. Congrats also Evan Horan and Blinder Films.” While Dr Laura Aguiar said, “Really enjoyed Treasa O’Brien’s film Town of Strangers at the Beanbag Cinema at Docs Ireland last night. What a moving, fun & most importantly respectful film about Gort’s migrant communities.”
Other screenings included Abbas Kiarostami’s ’24 Frames’ at QFT and ‘Framing John DeLorean’ at Odeon- complete with a real life DeLorean outside Victoria Square! Keith Baker tweeted, “‘Framing John DeLorean’ at Docs ireland is a marvellous film and the rest of the audience thought so too. Round of applause at the end. In part, I think, they were applauding him.”
Day three also saw BFI Doc Society Local take place at QFT, an all-day conference on non-fiction film across the UK and Ireland for emerging filmmakers with speakers from BBC Storyville, Northern Ireland Screen and Guardian Documentaries, amongst others.