Documentaries

Thursday 9 October | 8pm
Birr Theatre & Arts Centre

Director | Ross Whitaker
Ireland | 1hr 25 mins

A rip-roaring tale about the mathematician who, along with a ragtag syndicate, plotted to fix Ireland’s National Lottery in 1992, captivating the nation and sparking rabid debate.

Friday 10 October | 3pm
JJ Hough’s Pub, Banagher

Director | Daire Collins
 51 mins

In 1968, Mick Meaney was buried six foot under the London soil in a simple wooden coffin. Hundreds came to see his burial and toast Mick on his way. The thing was, Mick was not dead. Beo Faoin bhFód is the chronicle of the bizarre tale of Mick Meaney who was buried alive to win the world record for the longest time spent buried alive in 1968. Using never before seen archive, animation and interviews with the people who personally knew Mick, this film charts his record attempt and the depths he and others reached for fame and fortune.

Friday 10 October | 6pm
Birr Theatre & Arts Centre

This film offers an intimate portrait of Gerry Adams, one of the most controversial and influential political figures of our time. From his beginnings as a teenage activist to his role as leader of Sinn Féin, Adams helped lead his community in Northern Ireland from decades of conflict to peace.

An intensely private man who has long shielded his family from the public eye, this is the first time he tells his story. Interwoven with his words is a wealth of imagery from one of the most documented conflicts of our time, offering insight into Adams’ world — relaxed, informal, and uncensored.

Sunday 12 October | 1.30pm
Birr Theatre & Arts Centre

From Ground Zero, Palestine’s 2025 Oscars entry, is a powerful anthology of short films showcasing emerging Palestinian artists. Curated by filmmaker Rashid Masharawi and executive produced by Michael Moore, the project offers raw, diverse glimpses into life in Gaza—blending fiction, documentary, animation, and experimental film.

Heartbreaking yet hopeful, the collection captures resilience amid catastrophe, giving voice to people too often reduced to statistics. Once accepted, then pulled from the 2024 Cannes lineup for political reasons, *From Ground Zero* stands as both an artistic testament and urgent cry for humanity from a people under siege.

All proceeds going to Medical Aid for Palestinians