The Irish feature documentary ‘Paradiso’ has claimed its ninth award at the We the Peoples Film Festival in London. The doc, which was filmed entirely in Derry, scooped the top prize in the categories of Best Film in Festival and Rapprochment of Cultures.
‘Paradiso’ is directed by Alessandro Negrini and produced by Margo Harkin (Waveriders) for Besom Productions was commissioned by BBC NI. The hour long documentary centres around a major dance night organised by local man Roy Arbuckle in a bid to get Protestants and Catholics dancing together again in The Fountain, a dying Protestant district.
Commissioned by the BBC, the film also recently won Best Documentary Award in the Independent Films Section at Dhaka International Film Festival. Since its release, the documentary has won nine international awards and has been screened in festivals around the world including Mexico, Germany, Usa, South Africa and India.
The film was awarded the two prizes at an ceremony which was held in the National Film Theatre in London, on Thursday, December 2nd. The film festival honours films which address issues associated with the United Nations including the freedom from want; freedom from fear and the freedom to live in dignity.