Investigations 2017: Beyond Borders, the 4th annual investigative documentary filmmaking seminar organized by the Mary Raftery Journalism Fund, will take place on Friday, October 13th in the Irish Film Institute.
The seminar, which is open to the public, will feature screenings, conversations and discussions with experienced industry professionals chaired by three leading journalists and broadcasters; Keelin Shanley, Richard Crowley, and Tanya Sillem.
This year’s seminar will explore the challenges and opportunities which arise for investigative filmmakers when working outside their native culture. Through in-depth interviews and screenings seminar attendees will learn about on-the-ground challenges when filming beyond borders. With a backdrop of the development of digital and online technologies over the past decade, the seminar will look at the potential of cross-border collaboration, examine the responsibilities to participants which the filmmaker must consider and discuss the breadth of outcomes which emerge when filmmakers look beyond borders.
Commencing at 11am, Session One: Under Fire-Filming in Conflict Zones will include an opportunity to see “Mozambique- The Scene of a Crime” (Mary Raftery, 1988, Today Tonight, RTÉ) followed by a discussion with award winning DOP Cedric Culliton, Mary Raftery’s long time collaborator, who also filmed this documentary. Cedric has filmed in many conflict zones around the world and currently works in RTÉs Investigative Unit. Together with Mary Cedric filmed many documentaries including international stories in Western Sahara, Namibia, Lebanon and South Africa. Following the screening Cedric will talk with broadcaster Keelin Shanley about his experiences over five decades working in investigative filmmaking.
At 2pm Session 2: SEAN McALLISTER in conversation with RICHARD CROWLEY will offer a rare opportunity to hear from award-winning documentary filmmaker Sean McAllister. With films such as ‘A Syrian Love Story‘, ‘The Liberace Of Baghdad,’ ‘Japan: A Story of Love and Hate’ and ‘The Reluctant Revolutionary’ McAllister is known for his work about people caught-up in a world of political turmoil and personal conflict. This session will offer a unique opportunity to get an insight into working under extreme conditions. Sean will be in conversation with journalist and broadcaster Richard Crowley.
At 3.45pm Session 3: – WORKING BEYOND BORDERS will explore the full breadth of challenges and opportunities faced by a filmmaker when making a documentary outside their own environment. What skills and supports are useful or essential? What does the development of digital and online technologies mean for filmmakers? What are the pros and cons of collaboration with global partners? What responsibilities does the filmmaker have to participants, funders, the audience? These will be amongst the topics under discussion in ‘Working Beyond Borders’. Producer and Broadcaster Tanya Sillem will be joined by with journalists Paola Totaro and Ziad Ghandour and filmmaker Alan Gilsenan .
For tickets & event details, see www.ifi.ie/investigations. Tickets (€5 per session/€10 for 3 sessions) are available from the IFI Box Office on 01-6793477(€10 offer not available online or via email).