BEST BOY DISCUSSES POWERFUL FILMS, CREEPY EVENTS AND BEAUTY OF A CREAMY PINT, that we saw/supped at DOCS IRELAND 2024…

Yesterday began with two more great Palestine events. The first was a lecture by Dr. Des O’Rawe entitled, HERE AND ELSEWHERE, THEN AND NOW. The seminar looked at the European attempts at representing the Palestinian struggle, left-wing filmmakers in the late 60s and 70s like Chris Marker and Jean-Luc Godard, made films about Palestine, having differing agendas and motivations. It seems, that struggles in film, can be co-opted, repurposed, or even misrepresented.

Despite some filmmakers having what we may consider, ‘good’ motivations, colonialism can come even from the lens, the goal should be simple, help Palestine, tell Palestinian stories, not add a European narrative or political goal to the struggle, this is colonialism. There were many interesting European films discussed, but it seems the most in-depth, insightful, fair and helpful films about Palestine, come from Palestinians.A very enjoyable and eye-opening talk indeed.

Lucky for us in the afternoon we headed to a double bill of Palestinian films in the QFT. Restricted, (Rawan Mazzawi) and The Cities I Live In (Rabie Mustapha), are two compelling films with the former winning, the Docs Ireland 2023 shorts competition. It is a beautiful and personal exploration into the places director Rabie has lived, and in turn, been displaced from. Further than that, it’s a letter to his two children, an explanation of their history and their family. Restricted focuses on life in Palestine, specifically, how social media is used in Palestine by women and girls. Following a cast of women from different backgrounds and professions, we see the importance of social media to them, and the joy that they get out of it. Unfortunately, women and girls are not free to post whatever they want, facing restrictions from their society, the outside force of Israel, and social media itself.

Next, we put on our tinfoil hats for Simon Aeppli’s, Operation Bogeyman: The Folk Horror Landscapes of 1970s Northern Ireland. Simon has collected mountains of research on all things folk horror, Satan worshipping, fairy mounds, ghost soldiers and psyop in Northern Ireland, toward the idea of making a film on the subject, when this got tied up in funding limbo, as many films do, he reexamined his approach and instead channelled his passion into a PhD project. This was an extremely interesting and insightful lecture, Simon guided us masterfully through both our known landscape, in particular in the Carrickfergus area, which lends itself so well to the folk horror ideas discussed, and the shadow world of black ops and black magic

From dancing around the Maypole to dancing in the Avenue Cinema, we headed to Wim Wender’s, PINA, in 3D…

In the evening we headed into The Avenue for a 3D screening of Wim Wenders’ beautiful documentary, Pina. Released in 2011, the film is a deeply moving tribute to the late choreographer, Pina Bausch, and isan intense celebration of her life and her work. Using dance sequences, and very small sections of interviews, the film gives all involved the space to remember Pina.

Finally, NORMAL CINEMA CLUB. And what a night it was. In the usual NCC stomping ground of The Bean Bag Cinema, we were treated to a classic NCC double bill of Chris Marker’s 2011, Stop Over in Dubai, and Graeme Arnfield’s 2023 Home Invasion. Both films speak to the surveillance state in which we live, the all-seeing eyes and yet the powerlessness individuals have against large governments or police forces, the cameras are not there to keep us safe but to keep us in sight!

Home Invasion, despite being a film that would at a glance be about the history of the doorbell, it is incredibly genuinely creepy. In the context of the film and surveillance state, simple things take on new troubling meanings. Neighbours spy on neighbours, and police incept hyperlocal neighbourhood apps like NextDoor, and Ring sell on your data or simply pass it along whenever asked. This film will change how you approach a front door.

TURNING TOWARD TODAY , Here are our top picks!

At 2 pm in the Ulster Museum, Ransom 79 will screen as part of the Pull Focus Competition. The film tells the story of legendary Irish journalist, Charlie Bird, who in October 2022 was told that he was suffering from the early stages of Motor Neuron Disease, an absolutely devastating diagnosis. The film follows Charlie as he battles against this diagnosis, attempting to break one last huge story, a story about a criminal gang who attempted to pull off the most unbelievable heist Ireland had ever seen. The story was completely untold until now, thanks to Charlie and film director, Colm Quinn. In September 1979, a letter was sent to the Minister for Agriculture, detailing that if he did not hand over five million euros, the Foot and Mouth Virus would be purposely set loose in Ireland. As emotional and inspiring as it is thrilling, this is a film not to be missed.

Also screening today is Asif Kapadia’s masterpiece, Senna, a film that has consistently been praised as one of the greatest sports documentaries of all time. The film follows Ayrton Senna, a racing driver who achieved almost mythical status. Tracking his physical and spiritual achievements both on the track and off, using mainly archival footage and no formal commentary, the film revolutionised the documentary landscape. Senna will screen at 7 pm in the Odeon, and Asif Kapadia himself will be speaking tomorrow night, Saturday, in the QFT at 6:30 pm.

Today isn’t just an ordinary day, it is in fact, the Solstice, and what better way to close out the Solstice than with, Womenfolk. A celebration of Irish culture and tradition, and women’s place within this, Womenfolk brings together rare, archival films featuring women folk singers, and specifically folk song collectors, with live music. Starting off the films is David Hammond’s film about the legendary singer, Sarah Makem, and extremely especially, Sarah Makem’s own great-granddaughter will be performing at the event, alongside other extremely talented performers. Taking place tonight at Rosemary Street Church at 9 pm, the perfect way to close out the Solstice.

-Love, love, love,

Best Boy.

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