Alan Gilsenan

The Days of Trees

An intimate beautifully wrought and deftly handled meditation on trauma, offering hope and insight, The Days of Trees, dare we say, surpasses all those with its skillful storytelling, formal elegance, and canid and charismatic subject, Tomás Hardiman.

The Days of Trees

An intimate beautifully wrought and deftly handled meditation on trauma, offering hope and insight, The Days of Trees, dare we say, surpasses all those with its skillful storytelling, formal elegance, and canid and charismatic subject, Tomás Hardiman.

The Days of Trees

An intimate beautifully wrought and deftly handled meditation on trauma, offering hope and insight, The Days of Trees, dare we say, surpasses all those with its skillful storytelling, formal elegance, and canid and charismatic subject, Tomás Hardiman.

The United Irishmen

The United Irishmen is a documentary exploring the history of a radical group of revolutionaries whose seminal moment came during the Irish rebellion of 1798.

An Buachaill Geal Gáireach/The Laughing Boy

A trilingual feature documentary - An Buachaill Geal Gáireach/ The Laughing Boy is the remarkable and untold story of a song.

The Seven Ages of Noël Browne

Directed by acclaimed Irish filmmaker, Alan Gilsenan, The Seven Ages of Noël Browne is a new documentary that draws on previously unseen and newly discovered footage from four interviews recorded in 1997

Ghosts of Baggotonia

An evocative film-poem exploring the literary and other ghosts of the bohemian quarter bordering Dublin’s Baggot Street during the mid-20th century where there was a radical flourishing of artistic and intellectual activity.

Ghosts of Baggotonia

An evocative film-poem exploring the literary and other ghosts of the bohemian quarter bordering Dublin’s Baggot Street during the mid-20th century where there was a radical flourishing of artistic and intellectual activity.

Paul Muldoon: Laoithe is Lirici

In this bi-lingual “documentary musical” from acclaimed director Alan Gilsenan, the poet Paul Muldoon explores life and language in a series of musical collaborations with a stellar array of artists including Paul Simon, Liam Neeson, PJ Harvey, Bono, Ruth Negga, Paul Brady, Run DMC and Iarla O’Lionáird.

The Meeting

Based upon a real-life meeting between a young sexual assault victim and her offender after his release from prison.

The Meeting

Based upon a real-life meeting between a young sexual assault victim and her offender after his release from prison.

Meetings with Ivor

Ivor Browne has been a central figure in Irish mental health for many decades. Some people wish he wasn’t. Yet many people owe their lives to him. Browne somehow managed to be part of the establishment while still being one of its greatest critics. His pioneering and often controversial lifelong work on behalf of the many who cannot speak for themselves is notable. Alan Gilsenan’s new film captures the essence of this extraordinary human being. In a quirky and challenging cinematic portrait we meet a man, now in his late-eighties, who is still full of energy, good humour and compassion, and who remains a deeply-informed, startlingly innovative thinker. His unique attributes continue to find vital expression and offer real hope in an increasingly bewildering world. With contributions from Tommy Tiernan, Tom Murphy, Mary Coughlan, Sebastian Barry, Nell McCafferty and others.

Unless

A writer struggles with her daughter's decision to drop out of college and live on the streets.

Eliza Lynch: Queen of Paraguay

When Brazil won the war against Paraguay in 1870, they spared the life, but not the reputation of the woman they claimed was the chief villain in the bloodshed. Irish-born Eliza Lynch, lifetime partner of dictator Francisco Solano López, was painted by Brazil as a puppet master, thief and whore, and in 1991 included alongside Lucretia Borgia and Catherine the Great in a book entitled The World’s Wickedest Women. In Paraguay, the country where she lived as a beloved uncrowned queen, she is a national heroine. Fascinated by the contradiction, Irish academics Michael Lillis and Ronan Fanning embarked on 18 years of research to write a biography which forms the basis of Alan Gilsenan’s unique and compassionate documentary. Blending interviews with re-enactments of Eliza’s life – wonderfully performed by actress Maria Doyle – Gilsenan thoughtfully breathes humanity into a portrait of a much maligned woman.

Eliza Lynch: Queen of Paraguay

When Brazil won the war against Paraguay in 1870, they spared the life, but not the reputation of the woman they claimed was the chief villain in the bloodshed. Irish-born Eliza Lynch, lifetime partner of dictator Francisco Solano López, was painted by Brazil as a puppet master, thief and whore, and in 1991 included alongside Lucretia Borgia and Catherine the Great in a book entitled The World’s Wickedest Women. In Paraguay, the country where she lived as a beloved uncrowned queen, she is a national heroine. Fascinated by the contradiction, Irish academics Michael Lillis and Ronan Fanning embarked on 18 years of research to write a biography which forms the basis of Alan Gilsenan’s unique and compassionate documentary. Blending interviews with re-enactments of Eliza’s life – wonderfully performed by actress Maria Doyle – Gilsenan thoughtfully breathes humanity into a portrait of a much maligned woman.

All Souls' Day

The date was November 2nd, All Soul's Day, when Nicole's naked body was found on the beach. Seven years on, Nicole's mother Madie, obsessed with finding out what really happened on that fateful day, visits her daughter's boyfriend Jim in prison. As memories unfold and secrets are unveiled in the search for truth and redemption, Madie and Jim stumble upon something more sinister. Shot in different formats, in colour and black and white, fragments of a tragic story emerge from this rich, visual film.

The Road to God Knows Where

Irish emigrants in London and New York are contrasted with life in Ireland where unemployment and deprivation are said to be endemic. The experience, effects and meaning of emigration in 1980s Irish is examined using a combination of interviews with emigrants, commentators and politicians. The film also features inserts of a stand-up comic performing in various locations, adding a surreal element to the programme.

The Irish Question

With the likelihood of a border poll becoming an increasing possibility, do we really understand what that could mean for all those living on the island of Ireland? Or are we stumbling into some possible future as Britain once sleep-walked into Brexit? With unique contributions from the likes of Leo Varadker, Bill Clinton, Mary-Lou McDonald, Mike Nesbitt, Monica McWilliams, John Major, Susan McKay, Bertie Ahern, Fintan O’Toole, Gerry Adams, Linda Ervine and Peter Mandelson amongst many others, The Irish Question takes a fresh and sometimes surprising look at the dark trauma of the past and the unique possibilities of the future.

The Yellow Bittern

The raucous life of Liam Clancy, the last surviving member of iconic Irish band The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, who at their height, were out-selling the Beatles, and playing for JFK and the Ed Sullivan Show. The band changed the face of Irish popular music and influenced artists as disparate as Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and The Pogues. But for all their fame, their story remains largely untold. This darkly revealing portrait goes behind the mask of the performer and delves deep into the psyche of Liam Clancy. Also looking into his troubled personal life, where the excesses of rock-and-roll found their way in to the world of folk. Featuring unseen archive, audio recordings, and guest appearances.