Dingle International Film Festival runs March 21-24 2019.

This year, true to form, Dingle IFF punch high above their weight in their documentary line-up. Dingle IFF will Platform a number of strong Irish (and Irish related) Documentary Feature Films. We have come to expect this discernment from the Dingle IFF programming and this year does not disappoint.

First up, and closing the Festival is the European Premiere of the incredible film ‘The Push: owning your reality is where the journey begins’. The Push is an inspirational documentary about the power of never giving up. Grant Korgan is a world-class adventurer, nano-mechanics professional, and husband. On March 5, 2010, while filming a snowmobiling segment in the Sierra Nevada backcountry, the Lake Tahoe native burst-fractured his L1 vertebrae, and suddenly added the world of spinal cord injury recovery to his list of pursuits.

On January 17, 2012, along with two seasoned explorers, Grant attempted the insurmountable, and became the first spinal cord-injured athlete to literally PUSH himself - nearly 100 miles (the final degree of latitude), to the most inhospitable place on the planet – the bottom of the globe, the geographic South Pole. Grant and his guides reached their destination on the 100th anniversary of the first explorers to travel to the South Pole. Facing brutal elements, demanding topography and presumed physical limitations are just some of the challenges they faced along the journey.

With this inspirational documentary, The Push team hopes to inspire people in all walks of life to achieve the seemingly insurmountable in their life, to push their own everyday limits, and to live their ultimate potential.

Grant took inspiration from his Tom Crean, books and stories shared with him by Dr. James Lynch. James Lynch, Grant Korgan and members of the cast and crew will all be making the journey to Dingle for the Festival and will be on hand for a Q&A session.

“I was first introduced to Irishman Tom Crean's life story by my mentor and dear friend, Dr. James Lynch while training for our 2012 expedition to Antarctica's South Pole” says Korgan, adding, “Looking to the early explorers for inspiration, I became intrigued by the many parallels between the life of Tom Crean and my own.  These parallels were highlighted best by a fundamental personality base-state to constantly choose positivity (regardless of scenario) over choosing negativity. It quickly became apparent to me that Tom Crean's superpower was joy-based forward movement. On multiple expeditions, Crean was the character which enabled the critical wins, which ultimately allowed every expedition member to survive.  It was Crean's constant singing, laughing, joking, game playing, genuine care of human beings and other living creatures, which gave him the ability to inspire a group-wide level of consistent positivity, no matter how dark the hour... “

This screening will incorporate the Gala Presentation and the European Premiere, along with all key crew being in attendance for what is expected to be a dynamic Q&A.

Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the 33rd Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Audience Award Best Documentary Sonoma International Film Festival

Audience Award Best Documentary American Documentary Film Festival

Another remarkable selection and one of great symmetry is that of SLÁN LEIS AN GCEOL - FAREWELL TO MUSIC, directed and produced by Cathal Ó Cuaig

In 2010, the very first Físín competition was held as part of Dingle International Film Festival.  The winner of that first Físín, Cathal Ó Cuaig, went on to make his film An Cluiche through the Físín prize.

Now in its 13th year, Dingle International Film Festival will run its 9th Físín competition as part of the Festival Programme in March 2019. Dingle IFF is committed and fully supportive of filmmakers and sees itself very much as a Festival for those involved in the industry.  It is not surprising, then, that its clever programming will further promote Cathal who has recently completed his documentary film, ‘Slán Leis an gCeol - Farewell to Music’

“The film is namely a documentary on the musician Tony MacMahon... but is as much about mental health and BiPolar as it is about music - which I think makes it interesting to a wider audience than those interested in traditional music.” says Cathal who also states it will be “fantastic to be back in Dingle with a film - where I presented my first ever film.”

Screening Sunday 24th March, St James’ Church, Dingle

More Irish documentaries in the line up include:

THE CURIOUS WORKS OF ROGER DOYLE, Director: Brian Lally

Documentary about the Irish composer of electronic music Roger Doyle and the staging of his first electronic opera, Heresy, in Dublin in 2016. With Cathal Black, Selina Cartmell, Joe Comerford.

Funded by Screen Ireland

Screening Friday 22nd March, St James’ Church, Dingle

THE SCIENCE OF GHOSTS, Director/ Producer: Niall McCann

Can a film ever truly reflect who you are? Adrian Crowley becomes a ghost visiting his own life, imagining what a documentary about himself would be like, blurring the lines between documentary and fiction, reality and imagination, subject and director.

In this meditation on storytelling and filmmaking, we ask: where do we find the true story of a person? Is it in what they tell us, or rather in what they don’t tell us? And do they even know themselves?

“McCann is clearly a cineliterate director. He employs the best and most engaging aspects of experimental films in a way that is challenging but also very funny and lyrical. Some cuts feel like punchlines, while others work as mini-cliffhangers.” Dublin Inquirer

Screening Friday 22nd March, St James’ Church, Dingle

WHEN ALL IS RUIN ONCE AGAIN, Director:
Keith Walsh; Producer:
Jill Beardsworth

A rural community commit their lives to memory as a new motorway ploughs onwards through their landscape, a glaring symbol of our modern age. What will remain when nature inevitably subsumes it all?

Funded by Screen Ireland

Screening Saturday 23rd March, St James’ Church, Dingle

THE TOWN OF STRANGERS, Director/Producer:
Treasa O’ Brien

They say there are only two stories worth telling: a person goes on a journey or a stranger comes to town. This film is about a stranger who comes to make a film in the small town of Gort in the West of Ireland, and the people she meets when she holds auditions. Together, they go on a cinematic journey to explore their waking and dreaming lives. Featuring a cast of migrant workers, hippies, Travellers, blow-ins and newly arrived refugees, we are ushered into the private worlds of people living between two cultures, sharing their desires of longing and belonging. Funded by Screen Ireland

Screening Sunday 24th March, The Phoenix Cinema, Dingle

Dingle International Film Festival runs 21-24 March 2019.