Sinéad O’Shea Named in Top Ten European Women Filmmakers to Watch by EFP and Sydney Film Festival
Posted: 5th June 2018
Irish director Sinéad O’Shea has been selected as one of ten outstanding European women filmmakers for the third edition of Europe! Voices of Women in Film. A partnership between European Film Promotion (EFP) and the Sydney Film Festival, The initiative presents an exciting range of works from ten emerging female directors to watch. O’Shea was selected for her IFB-supported documentary A Mother Brings Her Son To Be Shot.
Europe! Voices of Women in Film will be presented in conjunction with Screen International and EFP from 6 – 17 June, where O’Shea’s documentary will be screened alongside titles from nine other filmmakers from around the world. The programme will also discuss the challenges facing women in the film industry, the journey towards inclusivity and parity, and the current state of gender diversity.
Filmed over the course of five years, A Mother Brings Her Son To Be Shot presents a shocking portrait of the complexities of a post-conflict society.
One night Majella O’Donnell took her teenage son Philly to be shot in both legs. Majella, Philly and his shooters are all part of the dissident Republican community in Derry, Northern Ireland. The Troubles officially ended in 1998 but this dissident community is still at war. They do not accept the Good Friday peace agreement, the government or police. Some members are in armed groups. They respond to so-called antisocial behaviour with kneecap shootings, banishment and even murder. All this happens within the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom. How do you bring your son to be shot? What happens afterwards?
A Mother Brings Her Son to Be Shot is produced by Ailish Bracken and Sinead O’Shea for Blinder Films, with co-producer Figs Jackman for Spring Films. Joshua Oppenheimer, André Singer, and Katie Holly served as executive producers and the film was financed by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board.
To read more about Europe! Voices of Women in Film and to explore the full line-up, please click here.