Kilmore Quay hosts its 5th film festival
KILMORE QUAY has already enjoyed its seafood festival and now food for thought is on the menu as the fifth annual Wexford Documentary Film Festival is due to place in the fishing village from Friday, September 22, to Sunday, September 24, with admission to all screenings and workshops free of charge during the weekend.
The festival has a focus on films that explore social, political and environmental issues and this year’s theme is ‘Community’ with post-screening discussions and workshops due to take place involving filmmakers, invited guest speakers and representatives of local organisations.
These include a ‘Make Movies’ workshop with Dick Donaghue, ‘Pocket Filmmaking’ with Terence White on getting the best footage possible from smart phones and tablets, and an acting workshop with Conor Maden
The programme will feature a selection of award-winning national and international documentary films on the themes of social justice, activism and human rights. The main venue is the Stella Maris centre but off-site screenings will also take place at other unexpected locations around the village including a local chip shop and supermarket.
The festival has secured the Irish premiere of ‘We The Workers’ by the award-winning Chinese director Huang Wenhai who will attend a post-screening discussion on Friday evening. This event will be followed by a food and wine reception kindly sponsored by ‘Le Cheile’. Other films highlighting social issues in the community will be ‘ The Grown Ups’ and ‘Shot in the Dark’ while ‘ Tongue Cutters’ a film about fishing issues will also be shown.
A three-minute film event will be held on Sunday, featuring a range of short films in various genres submitted by students, artists and local residents in response to an open call by festival organisers with prizes presented in various categories.The Duncormick-based artist and filmmaker Els Dietvorst, recent winner of a major Evens Foundation Prize will have a film installation in Kilmore Quay during the weekend.
Stop motion animations by Gorey School of Art summer students will be screened on Saturday at 11.30 a.m., followed by a children’s matinee with free popcorn for the first 30 people through the door.
Also attending will be Irish and Welsh media/film graduates, including students from Enniscorthjy PLC College who have a chance to continue their studies in Aberystwith University where 160 Enniscorthy students have studied to date. Festival organisers have formed links with Aberystwith University’s media department and for the first time, students from Wales will travel to Kilmore Quay, bringing with them three short movies for everyone to enjoy.
All events are free, including workshops although there is an eventbrite ticketing system on the festival website as there is a limit on the numbers attending some events.