Disappear Here Film Club, taking place monthly in Clonmany, Co. Donegal is delighted to announce the launch of its inaugural DONEGAL SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILM BURSARY in partnership with ChangeMakers Donegal, Inishowen Development Partnership and Concern Worldwide.

Alongside support from Concern Worldwide, proceeds from the popular Film Club have been going towards this €3,000 Bursary for the last 18 months and the funding will be made available to produce a new documentary to be shot in the county in 2024.

Find out more in this video by Michael Mc Laughlin of Disappear Here Film Festival.

Festival & Film Club Founder Michael McLaughlin says it is important to hear local voices in the local independent film sector and he believes that this new bursary will help foster talent, creativity, and activity in filmmaking in County Donegal.

“This is a great opportunity for a filmmaker with a story to tell, to get their work made and up in front of a live audience on the big screen. There are so many unique characters with stories waiting to be told in the county, many with global resonance, we hope this bursary can help people come forward and have these stories captured forever with a new documentary film.”

Myra McAuliffe, Project Coordinator at ChangeMakers Donegal said: “We are grateful to Concern Worldwide for their support of our monthly Film Club collaboration with Disappear Here Film Festival. This new Bursary will fund a local artist to reflect on an important societal issue through the medium of film. We look forward to receiving applications and to showcasing the new documentary at next year’s Festival.”

The combination of arts and community development to raise awareness of social justice is core to the work of ChangeMakers and Inishowen Development Partnership and why they work closely with the Disappear Film Festival in this work.

Denise McCool, Team Lead with IDP explains “Concern Worldwide have worked with us over the years and saw this collaboration as a great opportunity to increase awareness and understanding of a variety of justice issues and their local and global connections through the medium of ‘film’ and facilitated discussion. The Bursary is a great new element to the work.”

GUIDELINES:

To apply, email bursary@disappearherefilmfest.com by Thursday 30 November 2023 for full details. 

The short documentary film must having a running time no longer than 15 mins.

• Total Cash Value of €2,000, plus €1,000 in kind towards media, festival screening fees and 2 x mentorship sessions with festival team.
• Film must be shot in the county, using local crew where possible, before May 1^st
• Disappear Here Film Festival will screen the world premiere of this new work at its annual event in September 2024
• Disappear Here Media will offer support/consultation, and ensure maximum coverage on social media and via more traditional media outlets.
• You will own the final film, DHFC will retain rights to use the film in our programming.

On Saturday 14 October 2023, ChangeMakers will embrace #WorldMigratoryBirdDay2023 with a Walk & Talk Event with Aengus Kennedy of Nature North West at Inch Island, Inishowen, Co Donegal.

FREE but ticketed: https://shorturl.at/quBY0

All meaningful conversations start with a question. Can you recall the moment when you first became aware of injustice in the world?

If you’re interested in exploring the topic of climate justice, join ChangeMakers Donegal for an intimate group discussion amidst the beautiful surroundings of Fort Dunree.

Book Now: https://shorturl.at/gjsE3

As part of the workshop, we will take in the ‘Comfort Ye My People’ exhibition by Alannah Robins at Artlink Fort Dunree, which reflects on the passage of time and our place in the natural world. No prior knowledge of climate justice is necessary; just a willingness to explore local and global topics with support.

EVENT DETAILS

Wednesday 4 October 2023 at 11am to 1pm

Saldanha Gallery at Artlink Fort Dunree

Fort Dunree, Dunree, Buncrana, Inishowen, County Donegal, F93C424

Lifts/car-pooling is an option so contact Myra at changemakers@inishowen.ie if you need a lift.

ChangeMakers Donegal asks a crucial question for SDG Week 2023: why is it essential to connect local community efforts with global challenges?

In a video interview, Eric Kooma, Agriculture Advisor with PRESERVE Kafue at Self Help Africa, shares his thoughts on this topic.

He encourages Donegal community groups participating in the ChangeMakers Seeds of Change Funding and Mentoring programme to continue their endeavours and praises their compassion and developmental efforts. To listen to the interview and gain more insight and inspiration from Eric, visit our You Tube channel @changemakersdonegal2972.

Find out more about our project partners,  @SelfHelpAfricaTV by visiting their channel.

About the PRESERVE Project

The Irish Aid funded Protecting and Restoring the Environment and Supporting the Emergence of a Resilient and Vibrant Economy (PRESERVE)- Kafue Project implemented by Self Help Africa.

This project is implemented in three districts of Southern Province (Mazabuka, Monze and Namwala), targeting 4,500 households and has the overall objective of contributing towards the restoration, protection, and enhancement of ecosystem services in the Kafue sub-basin in Southern Province of Zambia. Droughts, environmentally destructive actions, and unsustainable farming practices of some communities have continued to threaten the flora and fauna in the region, forcing already poor communities to encroach on the wetland eco-system in search of water, food, and pasture for their livestock.

The project addresses these challenges to the wetland environment and improve the resilience, food, income, and nutrition security of 4,500 households through improved management of natural resources and increased production and returns from smallholder livelihoods.

Find out more about the PRESERVE Project.

Thank you to our project partners, Self Help Africa.

Our Autumn Season Newsletter is out today. This Autumn, you can contribute to positive change in Donegal by participating in our series of events for European Sustainable Development Week, conversations, and funding opportunities.

Read it today: https://shorturl.at/ovzAP

ChangeMakers will launch Sustainability Fortnight with an online workshop featuring Eric Kooma, Agricultural Advisor on the PRESERVE Kafue Project at Self Help Africa in Zambia. Inspired by the words of Dr Rebekah Shirley, Deputy Director of World Institute Africa, when she addressed our Annual Seminar earlier this year (June 2023), we wish to look more closely at the power of local communities to tackle complex global issues. We will hear first-hand from Aggie Chama about the work taking place at the Kafue Flats, the 6,500 square kilometres floodplains that flanks each side of Zambia’s longest river.

Donegal community groups and volunteers will then talk and network with each other to share their reflections on how their change projects in Donegal connect to the Sustainable Development Goals. All Donegal community groups are welcome as this will serve as a great immersion in the Global Goals and also the work of ChangeMakers Donegal.

Register via Eventbrite today so we can pre-assign the breakout rooms.

This is just one event as part of a series of events for Sustainability Fortnight, read more here.

We are grateful to our long-time project partners, Self Help Africa for their collaboration on this workshop.

A RANGE of events is due to take place throughout Inishowen to mark Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Week this coming week. 

EVENTS CALENDAR 

• Tuesday 26 September at 12:30pm: Kate O’Callaghan, Project Worker speaks with Ours to Protect on Highland Radio about our Seeds of Change Grant & Mentoring programme.
• Wednesday 27 September at 7pm (Zoom): ChangeMakers host a Seeds of Change Information Workshop about why connecting local issues to global matters in today’s world with Aggie Chama of Self Help Africa.
• Thursday 28 September at 11am & 12:30pm: ChangeMakers host a Community Discussion about how to live more sustainably in Buncrana. The Exchange Inishowen at the Intercultural Cafe. Newcomers welcome. Followed by a Photo session with Artlink Fort Dunree to reflect sustainability champions in our local community.
• Saturday 30 September at 11am at St Mary’s Hall, Buncrana: Living sustainably? We want to photograph you for an exhibition. Photo session with Artlink Fort Dunree at St Mary’s Hall, Buncrana.
• Sunday 1 October from 2:45pm – 6:45pm: Documentary screenings and panel discussion at our Film Club at the Disappear Here Film Festival; Who Would Jesus Bomb? (2:45pm) & The Devil’s Drivers (5pm). Ballyliffin Hotel. 
• Tuesday 3 October at 9:30am: Day 1 of the ChangeMakers Intercultural Studies 9-week course in association with Donegal ETB, (a Level 5) course, facilitated by community worker Francine Blaché-Breen of ChangeMakers.

Come along!

We are proud to bring the Disappear Here Film Club which is funded by Concern Worldwide to the Disappear Here Film Festival for the