Brown Blog Films

It’s that time of year again when the seaside village of Gortahork in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht turns into a film Mecca for the Guth Gafa International Documentary Film Festival (11th to 13th June). Having been lucky enough to have worked at Guth Gafa for the last four years (The Octonauts and Olivia the Pig stole me this year!), I have watched it grow from humble roots to one of the main film events in the Irish calendar.

This year, in addition to the documentaries, Guth Gafa are screening a series of short animations as part of their special family programmes: Tricks for Kids. Presented by Heinz Hermanns (the man behind Interfilm Berlin’s “Going Underground Festival’ held in the trains of the Berlin subway), Tricks for Kids will be showing a series of short animations told through different animation techniques.

The Tooth by Nathan Stone

Guth Gafa will also be holding a special master-class: Through Kids Eyes (supported by RTÉ Young Peoples Programming) which will discuss how to make factual children’s programmes with children, about children, and for children. How adults can enter a child’s world, and how filmmakers working with children can capture their lives in an authentic ways.

Three successful filmmakers will talk about their films and discuss different forms of documentary and the specific working methods they use when filming with children. Cúán Mac Conghail, (On the Block – Tory Island), Gabriel Noble (P-Star Rising) and Chloe Ruthven, (Mario and Nini) are the directors in attendance. Through Kids Eyes will be moderated by Sheila de Courcy, Commissioning Editor for Young Peoples’ Programmes, RTÉ.

Slim Pickings by Anthony Lucas

One of the best things about Guth Gafa is its friendly, informal atmosphere. The village of Gortahork is so small and remote that the film-makers, guests and festival goers get to know each other over the course of the three days. There are no red ropes or VIP badges at Guth Gafa, everyone mingles together until the early hours at Trad sessions in the local, or in the Guth Gafa festival club… and it’s the only festival I’ve been to that provides a free creche for kids!

Luora by Carlo Piaget

Check out the Guth Gafa festival website www.guthgafa.com for full details of their programme, special industry events, family screenings, weekend packages and bookings.

Hope to see you there…