It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to the IFI’s 8th Stranger Than Fiction festival.
Paul Gauguin once named a painting ‘Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?’. Quite the title indeed. If ever there were a rethink of this festival’s name, I’d suggest something along these lines might be appropriate. Although I’ll admit, only the most committed of documentary filmgoers would ever find their way to www.wheredowecomefromwhatarewewherearewegoing.ie
Nonetheless – these are the burning questions of our times, and an ambitious investigation into such is to be found at the core of all good documentary film. Weighty questions perhaps, but when treated with imagination and creativity, the resulting films can engage, amuse and inspire.
I’m delighted to say that for this year’s festival we have been able to draw together an inspiring selection of the world’s finest documentary films which connect imaginatively with such fundamental questions. Films such as The Yes Men Fix the World and Big River Man mix humour with extreme action to ask critical questions about the nature of humanity and the impact of humanity on the future of the planet. 65_RedRoses, Afghan Star and Victoire Terminus point to the struggles many face in their day to day lives, reminding us that for many, the human condition is defined by struggle, but that when shared, such struggle can become a source of strength. As we in Ireland come to terms with where we are in 2009, it is important for us to re-evaluate what community means to us.
We have put together an exciting strand of Irish films investigating aspects and attitudes to community, with films ranging from the premiere of The Liberties, to archive screenings of work from across the decades, including rarely seen work from Bob Quinn and Radharc. While documentary film may not have all the answers, for those interested in ‘where we come from, what we are, and where we are going’, the IFI Stranger Than Fiction festival is a great place to start looking.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board and all of our partners for their continuing support. I hope you find these films as inspiring as I have, and wish you the very best for your time at this year’s festival.
James Kelly
Artistic Director
IFI Stranger Than Fiction
