Aodh wins second documentary film award in London

DINGLE man Aodh Ó Coileáin has won the award for Best Documentary at the Irish Film Festival London for a second time. It’s a huge achievement for any film maker, but Aodh did have an advantage over the other contenders. Unlike them he had Michael O’Sullivan of the Phoenix Cinema as a mentor.

Aodh who is from Avondale and now lives and works in Galway was presented with the award at a reception in the Irish Embassy in London on Tuesday night. As part of the award, he and members of his family will return to London for a screening of the film in the West End Regent Street Cinema on November 24.

The documentary entitled Cumar – A Galway Rhapsody, looks a the connections between Galway City and the Connemara Gaeltacht through the eyes of seven artists including musician- Mairtín Ó Connor, Macnas Director Noeline Kavanagh and comedian Tommy Tiernan. The film was conceived and directed by Aodh who teaches media studies in NUI Galway’s Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge. He won the same Irish Film London award for his documentary. Fís na Fuiseoige (The Lark’s View) in 2016.

The Phoenix Cinema in Dingle provided a starting point for Aodh’s interest in film-making. As well as working in the cinema he was a daily visitor there with his schoolpal Seán O’Sullivan, whose family own the Phoenix, and the two youngsters would be given the benefit of the late Michael O’Sullivan’s unique insights into the techniques used by various film directors.

He remembers in particular Michael’s comments on the lighting used by Stanley Kubrick’s in the film ‘The Shining’. Aodh and Seán watched the film with Michael’s warning: “That film you will find terrifying, but go in now and watch it from a lighting point of view - he uses only natural light”.

“Michael was a great inspiration in my life, he was a genuine film buff and was very interested in how things were made…I will be thinking of him in the Embassy in London and in the Regent Street Cinema, and I know that he would approve,” he said.

Another big influence was Aodh’s brother, and fellow documentary film-maker, Tadhg (RIP) and he remembered him fondly as he spoke to The Kerryman on Monday. “Of course, Tadhg is the most important person who will be with me in London. Today, on my way home from work, I stopped in Salthill because the light was good across the bay. The ghost of loss got in... I miss him at the times I least expect it. He had a good appreciation of Michael Francie, so they’ll both be with me; two right hoors.”

Aodh’s work on Cumar – A Galway Rhapsody started in 2017 and finished just a few days before its critically acclaimed premiere at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh. It also screened at a film festival in Chicago in September and is due to be screened at festivals in Washington and California as well as on TG4 during 2020. The documentary received funding from the Ildana/TG4 fund.

Aodh Ó Coileáin.