Award winning Irish documentary Ballymun Lullaby, will represent Ireland as the closing film of the European Film Weeks, Helsinki on May 4th. Director Frank Berry will be in attendance for a post-screening interview.
EUROPEAN FILM WEEKS
The 2nd European Film Weeks in Helsinki 18 April – 4 May gathers together 27 films from EU countries and EU candidate countries. The event takes place in Eurooppasali (Malminkatu 16, Helsinki.)
2013 marks the European Year of Citizens in the EU. Citizenship is also in the focus of the 2013 European Film Weeks; films dealing with various aspects such as citizens’ rights, migration, cultural diversity, questions of identity, borders and boundaries, collective memories of past traumas as well as hope for a better future.
The event is organized by the European Commission Representation in Finland and the European Parliament Information Office in Finland, in cooperation with Embassies from EU member states and candidate countries.
PROGRAMME – http://ec.europa.eu/finland/
Music teacher Ron Cooney has been working in the Republic of Ireland’s only high-rise housing estate for fifteen years. During this time he has seen the area undergo a dramatic transformation, including the recent demolition of six of it’s seven tower blocks. The young people of Ballymun have had an extraordinary experience, and Ron sets out to produce a collection of music that gives voice to their story. Working with composer Daragh O’Toole, Ron’s ambition is to create a ‘world class’ collection of music for his talented students to play and write lyrics for. This music will challenge the negative views many still hold of the area – views that have the potential to hold his students back, and undermine the aims of the Ballymun Music Programme.
The music this effort produces attracts the attention of Ireland’s National RTÉ Concert Orchestra, and is soon recorded in a unique collaboration with the students. A dynamic funny and driven man, despite his own health problems, what Ron and his students have achieved is simply amazing. ‘Ballymun Lullaby’ is a story that needs to be heard.
TRAILER: http://player.vimeo.com/video/
Website: www.ballymunlullabythefilm.com
