Programme Announced for Guth Gafa Documentary Film Festival
Bord Scannán na hÉireann / the Irish Film Board (IFB) is delighted to announce it's support again this year as an industry partner for the 5th Guth Gafa International Documentary Festival which takes place in Gortahork, Donegal over three event-packed days from 11th-13th June.
A varied and unique programme has been announced which includes over 30 quality Irish and international feature documentaries as well as award-winning shorts, with all of their directors in attendance to speak about their films in post-screening discussions and debates.
The confirmed Irish line-up to date includes the multi-award winning His & Hers and Colony.
Ken Wardrop's His & Hers, which explores women's relationships with men by visiting moments from the lives of 70 female characters. It was produced by Andrew Freedman for Venom Films, and was financed by the IFB.
This beautiful and innovative documentary has previously scooped Best Irish Feature at the Galway Film Fleadh, Best Documentary at the Dublin Film Critics Circles Awards and screened at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. It is set for theatrical release in select Irish cinemas later this month.
Colony, the debut feature documentary by Ross McDonnell and Carter Gunn, examines the ominous disappearance of more than 1/3 of the United States' bee population in recent years. Colony was produced by Morgan Bushe and Macdara Kelleher for Fastnet Films with funding from the IFB.
This beautiful cinematic film was one of seven Irish films to premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September and was also named winner of the First Appearance Award at the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam.
Alongside the screenings and discussions will be a special programme for film professionals and students with panels, seminars and masterclasses.
An "Up Close" masterclass will take a look at the work of acclaimed UK filmmaker Kim Longinotto, winner of the World Cinema Jury Prize in Documentary at Sundance and HotDocs 2010 Outstanding Achievement Award.
The "Meet the Experts" event will include Patricia Finneran from the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Programme, Peter Jager from Autlook Film Sales and John Appel, multi award winning filmmaker.
Mick Hannigan, Cork Film Festival Director, will be moderating a panel entitled "Doc Outreach - The Festival and Beyond".
There will also be a "Through Kids Eyes" forum, which will discuss how to make factual children's programmes, with children, about children and for children, supported by RTÉ Young Peoples Programming.
For further information on the festival and special industry events, visit http://www.guthgafa.com/ or call the festival team on 074 91 80730.