Science Week is a national celebration of science with hundreds of events for people of all ages taking place across Ireland. The week is currently happening and will run until 17th November, and this weekend film gets in on the fun in Dundrum.
On Saturday 16th November, the documentary Burkitt will be showing at Movies@Dundrum. Directed by Éanna Mac Cana, the film is about the life and work of Irish surgeon Dr Denis Burkitt, who discovered a type of cancer in sub-Saharan Africa in the 1950s called Burkitt’s lymphoma.
A first time filmmaker, Éanna Mac Cana, creates a unique experience, combining his own personal recordings as an inpatient being treated for Burkitt’s lymphoma, with Burkitt’s own astonishing archive of photographs and films from sub-Saharan Africa. Though weaving together the patterns, parallels and chance events between lives, the doc examines the non-linear impact of trauma, colonialism and the ethics of medical work through an artistic lens and seeks to highlight the importance of creativity in dealing with these issues.
The film premiered at Docs Ireland in June and screened subsequenlty at the Galway Film Fleadh the following month. This Dundrum screening will be the film’s final showing this year in Ireland before it has a limited release in February 2025 – and a broadcast on TG4 later next year.
The evening starts at Movies@Dundrum from 7.45 that evening, with a welcome reception from AICRI. The screening begins at 8pm and will be followed by a panel discussion with the filmmaker. Here you can hear firsthand the powerful story behind Burkitt and the creative, personal journey that brought this film to life. The discussion will also feature artist Vincent Devine, who works at the intersection of art and science. Members of the research community will share their expertise, offering unique perspectives on the intersection of science, medicine, and storytelling, making this a truly multidisciplinary exploration of cancer research.
Tickets for Burkitt are available now via Eventbrite.