Strange Occurences in a Small Irish Village released on DVD
New Irish film documentary, Strange Occurrences in a Small Irish Village is now available on DVD. Directed by Aoife Kelleher (One Million Dubliners), the film – fresh from a successful five-week run in cinemas – explores the big question of faith in a small Irish village.
In August 1879, fifteen people in the small village of Knock, County Mayo, claimed to witness an apparition of the Virgin Mary. After two official inquiries, the village was declared a Marian Shrine. Today, Knock’s 2,000 residents welcome over one million pilgrims annually.
While at first glance, Knock may appear to be little more than a relic of Ireland’s past, populated by dogmatic Catholics steadfastly clinging to its pious history, Strange Occurrences in a Small Irish Village portrays Knock as a place full of people with compelling stories. Kelleher examines these stories throughout the film as we meet everyone from invalids seeking cures to middle-aged romantics searching for the perfect partner at the Knock Marriage Bureau.
The film presents a timely reflection on the position of the Church in modern Ireland and Rachel Lysaght, one of the film’s producers alongside Lindsay Campbell of Underground Films stated, “Now more than ever, it’s important we focus on what unites, rather than what divides us. I am so proud of the message of this film, and can’t wait to bring it to audiences worldwide.”
Speaking of the film’s DVD release, Campbell added, “There are so many intriguing and engaging stories in Knock, and we’re excited to include some great new ones in our DVD extras.”
Strange Occurrences in a Small Irish Village is an Underground Films production in association with RTÉ and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland in association with Shoot for the Moon and in association with Bord Scannán na hÉireann / The Irish Film Board. The film was directed by Aoife Kelleher and produced by Rachel Lysaght and Lindsay Campbell.