Willie Doherty at Foyle Film Festival

Foyle Film Festival, now in its 21st year kicked off on Friday Night. I have a real soft spot for the festival as I used to be involved, (12th-17th FFF) so I also know how much work it to pull the whole event together.

Credit to Director, Bernie McLaughlin and team who have succeeded in putting together a diverse programme of screenings and workshops.

I moseyed on down last night to the  Willie Doherty (twice nominated for Turner prize) screening of Ghost Story, a visual piece narrated by Stephen Rea on the themes of loss and foreboding. It was great to actually attend an event at the festival without working on it!.. and who should I bump into but my old cohort Shauna Kelpie, ( Director from 12-19th FFF), the lovely Colum Lynch giving his all (as usual) at the box office and Quiz Master extraordinaire Martin Bradley... Ghost Story was an apt title as for me it was like meeting up with the ghosts of festivals past. 

I would say that most of Derry's artistic community was present, which led to some interesting discussions in the VOID afterwards. 

I had a good conversation with the very talented and modest Seamus McGarvey (Oscar nominated cinematographer) about my own film loss... my final year Media studies film which I was quite proud of, unfortunately after its initial screening at the UU Coleraine and Belfast it seemed to disappear and all I have to prove I made it is a few rushes on a DVD somewhere.....ah well, I did get an RTE bursuary out of it... long since spent (like my youth...where ever he is). 

If you missed Willie Doherty's Ghost Story you should take yourself along to his exhibition APPARATUS / CLOSURE / EMPTY which will be in the VOID from 25th November to 23rd January. 

Check out VOID at www.derryvoid.com

 and the Foyle Film Festival at www.foylefilmfestival.org (the festival runs from the 21st - 29th November).