FESTIVAL AWARD FOR MARIE FILM
DOCUMENTARY ON RIGHT TO DIE CAMPAIGNER UP FOR FILM FESTIVAL PRIZE
WHEN Arklow man Tom Curran agreed to be interviewed for a documentary about his late partner’s Marie Fleming’s right to die campaign, he had no idea of the series of surprising coincidences that would ensue.
Tom was approached by a group of DCU media students who wanted to document the couple’s story and Marie’s legal challenge to have assisted suicide legalised in Ireland.
‘It started around Februrary or March of last year when the students approached me and asked if they could feature Marie’s story as their end of year project. I was flattered and shocked that they were interested especially as they were not even in college when Marie’s story came to prominence. I was delighted that these young people wanted to document it,’ Tom said.
The group later met with Tom in Arklow and Woodenbridge and filmed an interview as well as various local scenes and photographs of the couple.
‘Later they sent me the footage to ap- prove and I thought that was the end of it until I got a call to say they were taking part in a film festival in Donegal.’
The young film-makers had no idea that Marie was a native of Donegal and of her connections to the county.
‘I couldn’t believe it when they told me that the festival was to take place in Ballyliffen as that was a place where Marie spent a lot of time in her youth. On top of that, it turned out that the film is to be screened in the same hotel where Marie and her first husband had their honeymoon. I couldn’t believe the coincidence,’ Tom said.
Tom will attend the festival on this Sunday, September 24, and will give speech at the screening. The film-makers are also set to receive an award for their documentary ‘An Act of Love’ – the same title as Marie’s book.
‘It will be very emotional and poignant but I am looking forward to it and to spending a few days in a place which was so dear to Marie,’ Tom said.