The Irish Premiere of Fine Point Film’s new documentary Let the Canary Sing, a portrait of Cyndi Lauper, will open the fifth Docs Ireland festival next month.
Coming hot on the heels of its World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, Let the Canary Sing is a deep dive into the life and legacy of the living pop/punk legend and activist.
Produced by Belfast based production company Fine Point Films, the film exemplifies the depth and breadth of Irish documentary filmmaking.
Docs Ireland will celebrate a bumper year for Irish documentaries with 12 Irish features screening in its Pull Focus Competition. Stories include a wide range of subject matter, from music, art, nature, and identity to investigative journalism which provide insights into this island’s complicated past and present. These include:
- The World Premiere of I Dream in Photos which tracks the life and work of Pulitzer Prize-Winning photographer Cahal McNaughton.
- Margo Harkin’s harrowing Stolen that investigates the horrific discovery of the bodies of 796 mothers and babies in Tuam.
- The European Premiere of Des Henderson’s long awaited, incredibly revealing expose The Lost Boys: Belfast’s Missing Children.
- Atomic Hope which tackles the explosively controversial issue of nuclear fuel as a means of solving the global climate crisis.
- The European Premiere of In the Shadow of Beirut produced by Cyprus Avenue and Hilary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton’s production company Hidden Light. It looks at modern day Lebanon and the devastating impact of years of war and imperialism in the region.
“Five short years ago we launched the first Docs Ireland in response to the creativity and passion we saw in a vibrant Irish documentary-making sector,” said Michele Devlin, Director of Docs Ireland. “We wanted to celebrate this energy, to give it a platform here at home and support in the international arena.”
“In a programme that spans 25 countries across the world, this year we have a welcome explosion of talent, as we premiere a record number of Irish-made feature documentaries.”
“Our opening night features the Irish Premiere of Fine Point Film’s Let the Canary Sing, a beautiful and inspiring look at the life and career of the pop new wave legend, Cyndi Lauper. This film, which was recently acquired by international distributors Dogwoof, is a prime example of how Irish films are out there performing strongly alongside the best on the world stage.”
“We are very excited to be launching the full programme next week, Docs Ireland 5 runs from 20th–25th June.”
The full Docs Ireland 5 programme will be launched on Thursday 25 May at the Black Box. Tickets for the opening gala and screenings for the Pull Focus competition are on sale now.
