Shorts Program 3: New Irish Short Documentaries - Irish Film Festival Boston

A selection of nine thought-provoking and diverse short documentaries that present slices of life from across Ireland, while reflecting on universal themes.

The Last Organist / dir. Paddy McConnell / Ireland / 2019 / 6 mins A 94 year old organist reminisces on his love of music and his move to Ireland from Belgium 67 years ago.

Sunny Side Up / dir. Peter Kilmartin / Ireland / 2019 / 11 mins Peter Pringle and Sunny Jacobs both served years in prison for crimes they did not commit. After being exonerated, what are the chances they both met and fell in love? This film explores how love can prevail, and hearts can keep beating when a soul is dragged through so much.

The Workhouse Prodigy / dir. Paul Murphy / Ireland / 2020 / 7 mins Born in a workhouse, in post famine Ireland Johnny Butler’s prospects are not great, but help comes from the most unlikely source.

The Night is Black and the Day is White / dir. Joe McStravick / Ireland/UK / 2019 / 8 mins A mother and a father share their experiences of living with, caring for and loving a child who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Maid in America / dir. Kathy Raftery / Ireland / 2019 / 1 min Josephine from County Galway shares a story of when she encountered a member of the Rockefeller family whilst she was working as maid in America in the early 1950’s.

Coming Home: Ag Teacht Abhaile / dir. Dylan Ladds & Ryan Scura / 2019 / Ireland/United States / 24 mins Paddy O’Leary grew up in Wexford, Ireland, but didn’t discover his love and talent for running until he moved to San Francisco. Now, he is returning to Ireland to take on the fastest known time on the self-navigated 115 kilometer Wicklow Round, and to rediscover his home through the lens of running.

The Vasectomy Doctor / dir. Paul Webster / Ireland / 2018 / 11 mins Dr. Andrew Rynne was the first doctor to perform vasectomies in Ireland; he estimates that he has performed over 35,000. This is a distinction that did not come without controversy in the extremely Catholic Ireland of the nineteen seventies and eighties, but Dr. Rynne persevered in the face of opposition from the church. In the eighties, he challenged the restrictive laws on contraceptives by selling condoms without a prescription. He got his day in court and forced the government to change policy. In 1990, Dr. Rynne was about to perform a vasectomy on a patient, when a gunman entered his surgery and shot him. After surviving the attempt on his life, he would later meet with his assailant and forgive him.

Saoirse / dir. Marion Bergin / Ireland / 2020 / 8 mins Dublin is a city in the midst of a property development boom and with the gentrification of the inner city, working-class horse culture is being marginalized. It’s something quite unique to the city and likely won’t exist in fifteen years. The media only ever shows a negative side of the culture as there have been many issues with welfare in the city since the mass over-breeding of the early nineties. This film takes a snapshot of some of the men who genuinely care about their horses as they struggle to keep the remnants of the culture alive.

Strong at the Broken Places / dir. Anna Rogers / Ireland / 2018 / 14 mins Raped at 14 by a Catholic Priest, human rights activist Colm O’Gorman challenges Pope Francis to tell the truth about the cover up of abuse during his divisive visit to Ireland in August 2018.

Available to rent until midnight March 21, 2021 (EDT) Please visit the How to Guide for watch windows during your rental.