Fr Des - The Way He Saw It

Young Plato

2022 · ★ 6.2

Mr. McArevey is a visionary headmaster at a Catholic primary school in one of the toughest neighborhoods of Belfast, Northern Ireland. He loves Elvis and teaches his students to connect with their feelings, while taking on the legacies of the “The Troubles.” In this exceptional portrait of a community still healing from trauma, we follow this educator extraordinaire as he uses Ancient Greek wisdom as an antidote for pessimism, violence, and historical despair.

Keep It a Secret: The Story of the Dawn of Surfing in Ireland

2021

In the early 1970s, the world-class waves of Ireland were uncharted waters for the international surfing community. Amidst the ongoing conflict of the Troubles, pioneers in both Dublin and Belfast transcended political hostilities to host the 1972 Eurosurf championship. This look into the unsung history of the Emerald Isle’s now world-renowned surf scene details the power of sport to bridge any divide.

Daughters of the Troubles: Belfast Stories

1996 · ★ 8

The women of Belfast played a unique role in holding together their families and communities during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Filmed during the fragile 17-month paramilitary cease-fire, Daughters of the Troubles: Belfast Stories looks at the challenges facing women trying to put their direct experience of grassroots problems on the agenda of the established political parties. Their strength, first exhibited on the community level, started to reach a wider public.

The Day Innocence Died: Bloody Sunday and the Fight for Justice

2026

Derry, 1972; As the civil rights movement across the North of Ireland begins to secure unprecedented wins, the British state responds with lethal force, murdering 14 people and sparking a 60 year fight for justice and accountability by a community for whom everything had changed. From the acclaimed directors of ‘To Kill a War Machine’ and the community who took on the British state and won, ‘The Day Innocence Died’ tells the story of the Bloody Sunday massacre and its legacy, weaving unheard testimonies and indelible archive footage into an epic cinematic documentary.

Flying Padre

1951 · ★ 5.1

Stanley Kubrick’s short documentary about Father Fred Stadtmueller, a Catholic priest serving a vast 4,000-square-mile parish in rural New Mexico. To reach his scattered congregation, he pilots his own Piper Cub aircraft, the Spirit of St. Joseph. Over two days, Kubrick follows the “flying padre” as he conducts Mass, mediates between quarreling children, attends a funeral, and airlifts a sick child to medical care—capturing both the challenges and quiet heroism of his daily mission.

Gama Bomb: Survival of the Fastest

2024 · ★ 9

When they hit the Billboard charts, Gama Bomb were trapped by lockdowns, missing a drummer, and unable to tour. Survival Of The Fastest is a new Irish take on classic music documentaries like Anvil or Spinal Tap with a sweet and charming portrait of male friendship during troubled times. Capturing Gama Bomb's quest to play for 10,000 people at Hellfest – the 'Glastonbury of Metal' – Kiran Acharya’s warm and wayward film surprised cinema audiences with a smart, sincere, and absurdly funny year in the life of dear friends trying to keep the show on the road. Packed full of Gama Bomb's trademark humour and pop culture references, the film reflects on their 20-year history in the absurd worlds of punk and metal and their earliest days during the first sparks of the Peace Process in Northern Ireland.

The Magic Box

2012

A special live broadcast on both BBC and UTV, hosted by Eamonn Holmes, celebrating the best of Northern Ireland television over the past 60 years and marking the occasion of digital switchover.

Sins of Ireland

2025

Through the prism of the confession box, which has its origins in Ireland, 'Sins of Ireland' is a portrait of an overlooked aspect of Ireland's past and how it impacted many parts of the world. Fifteen Irish priests, known for hearing the confessions of others, outline what the sacrament of confession was supposed to be and, while confessing the sins of the church, what it became.

Jerzy Popieluszko: Messenger of the Truth

2013 · ★ 9.5

The remarkable true story of the Catholic priest and human rights activist who paid the ultimate price to faithfully inspire the people of Poland to stand against the oppressive Communist rule of the 1980s.

Belfast's Victory in Vienna: A Footballing Odyssey

2022

Presenter Holly Hamilton tells the feelgood story of the Glentoran team who left Belfast on a European football adventure just before the First World War to win the Vienna Cup, the first ever European Cup.

Searching for Padre Martinez

Follows directors journey to discover the life and times of Antonio José Martínez, an activist priest dedicated to the enlightenment ideals of representative democracy and public education in 19th century New Mexico.

American Troubles: A Tale of Two Democracies

2026

America's democracy feels more divided than ever - but what if the problem lies in how we vote? "American Troubles" explores whether proportional representation could break the cycle of dysfunction, drawing comparisons from two striking case studies: Portland, Oregon, where a bold new voting system is reshaping local politics, and Northern Ireland, where proportional elections helped end decades of violent conflict. Blending history, reform, and human stories, the film shows how electoral rules can entrench division - or create space for compromise.