In an updated list of highlights, industry experts from Sundance Documentary Fund, Tribeca Film Institute and Hot Docs Forum amongst others are to be joined by filmmakers from the US and Canada, whose films are screening at this year’s Guth Gafa International Documentary Festival. The festival will also play host to a ‘Meet the Experts’ session and a two day ‘Single Shot Cinematography’ masterclass with Leonard Retel Helmrich (Shape of the Moon).
Guth Gafa’s 2011 industry programme, supported by the Irish Film Board, will comprise of two different sessions on North American documentary funding and support with panellists including Patricia Finneran (Sundance Documentary Fund), Ryan Harrington (Tribeca Film Institute), Cynthia Lopez (POV/ American Documentary) and Elizabeth Radshaw (Hot Docs Forum) representing four key areas of North American documentary funding.
The Guth Gafa North American industry sessions will run on Monday, 13th June from 1.00pm in the Teac an Ceol Cinema in Gortahork. The first session will be on North American Funding of Social Documentaries. Here, the speakers present will give a broad introduction and presentation of case studies on the different models of documentary funding support available in North America. The admission for this event which is BAI supported, is free to industry and students, and no pre-registration is required.
This event will be followed by a ‘Meet the Experts’ session where the topic of ‘How do I get North American support for my film?’ will be covered. Structured in a multi-stage format, participants will have a chance to meet the panellists in small groups of up to ten. ‘Meet the Experts’ is aimed at documentary producers and directors who have made at least one long format creative documentary for either festivals, cinema or TV who are looking to get expert advice in this area. This event is also free to attend, but pre-registration is required, as places will be limited to 40 participants.
As previously reported, in addition to the North America forum festival organisers will further welcome back Leonard Retel Helmrich to host a 2-day masterclass entitled ‘Single Shot Cinematography’. Leonard has spent years designing his ‘Single Shot Cinematography’ technique and now runs practical workshops for broadcasters and filmmakers. The ‘Single Shot Cinematography’ masterclass at Guth Gafa will take place on the 11th and 12th of June in the Óstan Loch Altan hotel. More information about the FÁS/ Screen Training Ireland event can be found here: www.screentrainingireland.ie.
Finally, this year's Guth Gafa programme will end with an Industry Networking Event & Dinner, supported by Screen Producers Ireland and the IFB, where invited Irish film makers and professionals will have the opportunity to network with their North American and European colleagues. The above highlights will make up part of the festival’s programme which will play host to screenings of 30 international and Irish feature documentaries.
The 6th Guth Gafa International Documentary Film Festival will take place in Donegal from the 10th to the 14th of June. The festival is supported by the Irish Film Board, IFTN, RTÉ, The Arts Council, TG4, Údarás na Gaeltachta, FÁS/STI, The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, Donegal County Council and other industry partners. Full listings of the festival highlights, as well as more information about the event’s Industry packages is available here: www.guthgafa.com
