In 2022, Regional Cultural Centre and Leagues O’Toole (Foggy Notions) curated and commissioned three exciting filmmakers to collaborate with leading Ireland-based musicians to create new film works. These beautiful and sometimes challenging new works will premiere at the RCC on Saturday 4th March, 2023.
Admission is free but registration essential.
Devotion
Directed by Laura Quirke
Through candid recordings of dialogue between a mother and her children, ‘Devotion’ raises questions of the sacrifices we make to find joy and purpose in life. These intimate conversations are woven into dreamlike sequences of a young woman living two alternate lives; pondering the choice of motherhood, the creative pursuit and the ultimate questions of how, why and to whom we choose to devote our time.
Produced, edited & directed by Laura Quirke
Starring Carolyn Ingram & Lucy Duignan
Music composed by Claire Kinsella & Rachael Lavelle
Cinematography by Ronan Nissenbaum (Shot on 16mm film)
AC Focus Puller: JP Quill
Mixing & mastering: Jonny Pickett
Hour of the Ox
Directed by Bob Gallagher
Named as a companion piece to Katie Kim’s recent album of the same title, ‘Hour of the Ox’ is a short experimental documentary by director Bob Gallagher. The film takes an abstract look at the creative process behind the album, focusing in particular on Kim and Gallagher’s mutual appreciation of cattle. Beautifully shot on 16mm, the documentary combines an array of bovine footage with interviews recorded with Katie, an ox farmer and a butcher, exploring the question ‘Why do we do what we do?’ raised in the album’s lyrics.
‘Hour of the Ox’, which draws its name from the Japanese cursing ritual ‘Ushi no toki mairi’ also marks the final release under the pseudonym Katie Kim, and the film chronicles the creative life and death of this enigmatic persona.
This Years Lull
Directed by Charlie Joe Doherty
This years lull follows a young man, BAMBI, on the course of a Sunday in his rural costal existence in Donegal, Ireland. The opening sequence is an ebb and flow of spoken word and imagery, incapsulating the mourning of time and the loss of those around us in the sprawl of adolescent fading.
The film opens and centres around conversations with his best friend PADDY, as they discuss antics from nights out, temptations of substance abuse and strained relationships at home. These interactions are interspersed through out the piece, revelling a seeded truth between the two.
The greyness is further mirrored with fraught interactions with his FATHER and a highly strung argument with his brother, JASON, as he pleads with his younger sibling to reflect on his actions and life choices, stating “I just don’t want to see you go down the wrong road” – reflecting on BAMBI’s love of cars and diffing.
The film signals a lifeline of hope with the interaction of DOLL, a young girl who shows interest in BAMBI and can recognise his struggle and unlike many others, emphasises with him and can relate to the revealing loss in the film. This, coupled with a tender embrace from his MOTHER, brings his Sunday and the film to its bleak conclusion.
