Dublin based production company The Courtyard Studio is set to commence
filming an hour-long documentary in Angola. The working title “Journey Into
The Grey Zone” refers to zones in Angola previously inaccessible due to
landmines and 27 years of civil war. These zones are now opening up to
reveal villages in desperate need of humanitarian aid.
The documentary is being directed and presented by Damien O’Connor, formerly
a graphic designer with a large multi national corporation. He was made
redundant in April of this year, unsure what to do with his future but
certain that he could never work in the corporate culture again Damien
decided to travel to Angola and make a documentary which would raise
awareness of the unfolding crisis there. The documentary is a combination
of travelogue, diary and personal pilgrimage. It will document Damien's
re-evaluation of his life through the experience of re-locating into an
environment of extreme hardship. Above all it is a series of portraits of
endurance in the face of adversity.
Beginning in the relative safety of the capital city Luanda the documentary
will follow Damien on a three-week journey through Angola’s landmine
littered landscape, a legacy of it’s 27 year civil war. He will be visiting
Refugee camps where thousands of civilians and rebel soldiers are now in
dire need of aid. He will meet with the international aid workers who face
these conditions on a daily basis. The documentary will conclude with
Damien arriving into a Grey Zone.
The UN has described the current situation in Angola as one of the worse
humanitarian crisis in the world. At the moment the future of Angola is
incredibly bleak and unless serious aid money is sent over it will only get
worse.
“We hope this documentary will bear witness to the plight of the Angolan
people and highlight the need for urgent support for the various Aid
Agencies working to alleviate the appalling suffering.” – John Gleeson,
Creative Producer
In addition to producing documentaries, the courtyard studio provides
specialist video services to the film industry and is Ireland’s premier
screen testing venue. Established in 1989 by John Gleeson, the company has
provided key video services to ‘Chasing the Dragon' earlier this year
and will commence video assist on “Ella Enchanted”, later this month.
"Journey into the Grey Zone" is the first of three documentary projects that
the Courtyard Studio currently have in development.
Further information is available from Fiona Kinsella, at the Courtyard, e-mail: fiona@courtyardstudio.com
