27/06/2025 - A dynamic wave of Irish documentary shorts challenged formal boundaries while engaging deeply with themes of community, history and more personal topics

The 2025 edition of Docs Ireland, running from 23-29 June in Belfast, offers a compelling showcase of Irish documentary shorts in competition, which balance bold formal experimentation with intimate, urgent storytelling. From deeply personal narratives navigating vulnerability and identity to rigorously researched archival reconstructions, the filmmakers demonstrated a keen awareness of their social and political contexts. Cineuropa caught up with them to talk about their creative processes, thematic obsessions and what lies ahead.

Dennis Harvey – The New Policy Regarding Homeless Asylum Seekers

Cineuropa: How did your access and approach evolve during production, and where is this work leading you next?
Dennis Harvey: This film, like its predecessor The Building and Burning of a Refugee Camp, was made quickly, as a response to chaos at a degraded political moment. Unlike last time, when I developed strong relationships with the participants, here, the asylum seekers were moved each night by police, making it hard to connect. I ensured their identities were protected and only filmed those who consented. These shorts stem from research for a feature on European migration policy, and I’m planning a third short to complete the triptych. It’s shocking to see such brutality inflicted by a country that celebrates its emigrants.

Nicola Leddy – Boobs

Cineuropa: How are you building on the tone and themes of Boobs in your new project?
Nicola Leddy: Sex Education (For Adults), now in funded development with Virgin Media Discovers, picks up where Boobs left off – using humour, warmth and honesty to tackle taboo topics often wrapped in shame. What made Boobs click was how safe it felt, like chatting with a close friend. I’m expanding that playfulness now with cheeky graphics, line animation and unexpected interview set-ups. Story-wise, I love building towards a shared emotional climax – like the exhibition in Boobs. Both Sex Education (For Adults) and my feature The Queen of Matchmaking end with all of the main characters together in one room. It’s joyful, cinematic and full of goosebumps.

Alice Ward – Salt

Cineuropa: How do you balance personal vulnerability with experimentation in your work, and what directions are you exploring through Sea Pea Films?
Alice Ward: The experimental aspects of Salt came as the most natural; being personally vulnerable and sharing my own story was far more difficult. Playing with structure, imagery and cyanotype animation gave me the space to express myself in ways that felt more nuanced and less confronting than a traditional interview. That formal freedom made the vulnerability possible. At Sea Pea Films, my work is rooted in the ocean and the natural world, which I try to capture in rich, immersive ways. I’m now focusing on water quality in Ireland and experimenting with sustainable, alternative photography using soil and seaweed, letting environmental issues become part of the image itself.

Cáit and Éiméar McClay – just above the tear duct on each side

Cineuropa: What guided your visual and sonic approach to the film, and how are you evolving this archival, research-driven method in your future work?
Cáit and Éiméar McClay: Our film focuses on institutions active around the founding of the Irish Free State, reflecting on how British imperialism shaped Ireland’s carceral landscape. We combined archival records with creative non-fiction to construct a speculative history of psychiatric care, filling in the gaps of the Donegal County Council archives. Since St Conal’s Hospital in Letterkenny lacked visual documentation, we used open-source images of similar institutions to build 3D models, presenting these spaces in their current state of abandonment. The sound design, built from granular synthesis and modelled weather, echoes the melancholy of archival absence. We’re now expanding this method to include spatial reconstructions of contemporary political realities.

Colm Higgins – Saint Brendan’s Dream

Cineuropa: How did the AEMI-supported development shape your filmmaking voice, and what themes are you exploring now?
Colm Higgins: Making Saint Brendan’s Dream has been a long journey, with some footage shot four years ago, when I was still learning the camera. My plans have evolved, but I try to keep the early excitement alive, balancing playfulness with the challenges of the work. Editing recently felt like revisiting someone else’s archive because the filming now feels like a dream. AEMI’s support in the final stages, especially screening a rough cut and advising on distribution, was invaluable. Their insightful feedback helped me see new layers in my work. I’m currently exploring themes of belief and airports, drawn to Knock as both a pilgrimage site and an aviation hub, a mix that fascinates me deeply.

Ruairí Bradley – We Beg to Differ

Cineuropa: How did you gain the trust of your subjects, and how has this shaped your future storytelling interests?
Ruairí Bradley: I began by reaching out to community members via social media and attending the diffs [illegal car-drifting events] in person. Initially, gaining access was challenging since the community is often misunderstood and wary of film crews. I stayed transparent about my intentions and why their story mattered. Trust deepened during our interviews as we discussed personal experiences. Being from Belfast myself helped build mutual understanding and break down barriers. This project revealed my interest in complex, misunderstood communities living in societal grey areas. Moving forward, I want to explore stories where identity, place and resistance intersect in unexpected ways.

Meg Earls – It All Comes Down

Cineuropa: How do you see your animation style evolving with narrative structure, and are you interested in continuing hybrid or documentary approaches?
Meg Earls: During development, I noticed a duality in the subject and Northern Ireland itself – beautiful landscapes contrasted with traumatic events beneath the surface. I wanted the narrative to reveal that hidden intensity through a hard-hitting scene using charcoal drawings, which felt primal and direct, contrasting with softer pencil and watercolour in the rest of the film. Animation adapts well to the story’s needs, each style conveying distinct emotions. My work is rooted in observation and drawing from life, making hybrid and documentary approaches a natural fit. I fully intend to continue exploring these methods.

Ross McClean – No Mean City

Cineuropa: How does your local environment of Belfast shape your upcoming feature, and how do you balance international platform expectations with a grounded perspective?
Ross McClean: Returning to Belfast after studying abroad helped me understand what draws me to the city: its humour, history and everyday contradictions. My feature follows a young man caught between his community, institutions and his past. Though set in Northern Ireland, it explores broader themes of resilience and masculinity. Working with NYT Op-Docs introduced expectations that I saw as creative constraints, sharpening my filmmaking voice. For me, staying true to the story and its people is key. If that remains intact, the film can resonate beyond its local context.

Molly Kiely – At the Bottom of the Reen

Cineuropa: What challenges or freedoms did you experience moving from commercial work to personal documentary, and how has that influenced your future projects?
Molly Kiely: Shifting formats has its challenges, but my commercial background greatly enhanced my visual storytelling, which benefits my documentary work. Adverts require telling a story in 60 seconds or less, so every frame must count. I bring that same focus to my documentaries to create visually engaging content that impacts viewers. Working in adverts introduced me to diverse people and stories, broadening my understanding of what makes a story worth telling. I’ve learned that some of the most powerful stories come from unexpected places, which shapes the work I want to pursue next.