The Dublin Doc Fest was founded by Tess Motherway in 2013 and showcases short documentary films from both Irish and international filmmakers. Now in it’s fourth year, the Dublin Doc Fest has chosen the unconventional setting of the Teeling Whiskey Distillery to host its latest installment, and has announced the programme of shorts for this year’s festival, which takes place on Friday November 11th from 6.30-10pm. Check out the full list of short documentaries to be screened this year, films that will tell the stories of ordinary people from coastal Irish islands to bustling Zimbabwean cities.
Black Sheep (dir. Christian Cerami)
Black Sheep follows two brothers from the North of England and their adolescent curiosity for the EDL – a far right protest movement that opposes what they consider to be the spread of Islam in Britain.
My Aleppo (dir. Melissa Langer)
After fleeing the Syrian civil war, a family communicates with the home front via Skype, watching Aleppo disintegrate and their loved ones change.
Grey Area (dir. Jon Barton)
Eamonn may seem strange on first impressions, living alone in his purpose built funeral home at the centre of a small Irish town. For most, embalming the dead may seem like a strange career path, but it brings purpose to Eamonn’s life.
‘Distilled Docs 1’: 7.40pm – 8.00pm
Numaish (dir. Shubhangi Singh)
Numaish – an annual consumer exhibition in India spanning about 46 days – marks one thing in common – the astonishing number of children lost (and found) during the massive event. This film studies that moment of panic and chaos.
Kontakt (dir. Jana Magdalene Kuchel & Holger Reissig)
“A seemingly simple experience, shared by strangers, awakens a deep need.”
Programme 2: 8.10pm – 9.25pm
Aonrú (dir. Dominic de Vere)
Aonrú is a short documentary studying the fishing industry, as well as the island’s inhabitants, on Cape Clear Island, West Cork, Ireland.
EISEN (dir. Benjamin Kahlmeyer)
A foggy landscape with new buildings in Eisenhüttenstadt at the German-Polish border: “Eisen”, Iron, that’s how they call the town here. Portraits of asylum seekers from all over the world are set among impressions of a dreary life in a strictly composed sequence of images. They tell of hopes for a better future in Europe.
Underground (dir. Maxime Bultot)
Wenfang came from the Chinese countryside to Beijing to be an actress – but as for many migrants that came to the city, she now lives in a 4 square meters room located two floors underground, waiting for her dream to come true.
A punky, heavy and lyrical musical documentary about the life of citizens in small provincial city, Kazincbarcika, in Hungary. The film follows a bartender one evening as she shares her life’s stories with customers.
Chantrea is banished from home by her sons when they discover she has HIV. She accepts her exile, even though supporting her family was the reason she worked as a prostitute. She starts collecting litter to survive Shrey, an abandoned, lonely girl working as a prostitute to support her children. These Cambodian women create a new family, providing love and support for each other.
Pink Shells (dir. Or Sahar)
A short animated documentary that tells the story of Tavor – a woman torn between freeing herself from self- destructive habits, and the fear of letting them go.
Awa: Zimbabwe’s Rap Queen (dir. Max Thurlow)
This film tells the story of up-and-coming starlet AWA preparing to perform at her country’s biggest hip hop festival Shoko, in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. Is her innate positivity and charisma enough to help her succeed?
Tickets for the Dublin Doc Fest are available from Eventbrite, and the festival will be followed by an after party in the Distillery until late.