Folk Film Gathering 2021 (online)

This year the Folk Film Gathering revolves around a theme of solidarity: exploring both the different stories that distinguish communities in different parts of the world, alongside certain aspects of experience that are shared in common.

Our programme is presented in partnership between Transgressive North and Scottish Documentary Institute, with the kind support of Screen Scotland, Africa in Motion, the Italian Cultural Institute (Edinburgh), and Traditional Music Forum.

Full details of our 2021 online programme can be found at www.folkfilmgathering.com

In particular, our online programme this year features a series of live conversations between filmmakers from very different parts of the world, who nonetheless also share certain aspects of perspective and approach to filmmaking. As part of these conversations, some of the world’s most significant filmmakers will come together to discuss the possibility of a people’s cinema, including:

• Kleber Mendonça Filho (Brazil) in conversation with John Sayles (USA) | Saturday 26th June, 7pm
• Pat Collins (Ireland) in conversation with Michelangelo Frammartino (Italy) | Sunday 27th June, 7pm
• Amber Collective (England) in conversation with members of Frontroom (England) and Belfast Film Workshop | Monday 28th June, 7pm
• Elisa Cepedal (Asturias, Spain) in conversation with Nadir Bouhmouch (Morocco) | Wednesday 30th June, 7pm
• Gaston Kaboré (Burkina Faso) in conversation with Zacharius Kunuk (Inuit community, Canadian Arctic) | Friday 2nd July, 7pm

Accompanying these conversations will be an online programme of films from each director which will be available to stream at various points during the festival dates. Please note that all films will be available to stream in the UK, and certain titles (alongwith all of our live events) will also be more widely available for international viewers.

• Il Dono (Michelangelo Frammartino, 2003)
• Silence (Pat Collins, 2012)
• Henry Glassie: Field Work (Pat Collins, 2020)
• The Secret of Roan Inish (John Sayles, 1994)
• Aquarius (Kleber Mendonça Filho, 2016)
• Wend Kuuni (Gaston Kaboré, 1982)
• Buud Yaam (Gaston Kaboré, 1997)
• Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (Zacharius Kunuk, 2001)
• Work, or To Whom Does the World Belong (Elisa Cepedal, 2019)
• Amussu (Nadir Bouhmouch, 2018)
• What Happened Here (Amber Collective, 2020)
• Acceptable Levels (John Davies, Frontroom / Belfast Film Workshop, 1983)

Alongside our director conversations and streaming programme, will be a further series of live conversations between musicians from different parts of the world, with connections to the filmmakers. These conversations will feature songs, stories and discussions and will be hosted by the Traditional Music Forum’s David Francis.

• Brían Mac Gloinn (Ireland) in conversation with Alasdair Roberts (Scotland) | Friday 25th June, 7pm

• Bonnie “Prince” Billy (USA) in conversation with Mairi Campbell (Scotland) | Thursday 1st July, 7pm

Tickets

A festival pass will get you access to all of these films, events and more.

We want the Folk Film Gathering 2021 to be accessible to all, no matter their means, so festival passes are available at different price points, which will operate on an honesty basis. Please pay what you can afford.

£10 (concessions) – Low-income

£20 (standard) – Middle-income

£30 (full price) – High-income

By purchasing a ticket, you will receive a promo code that can be used to access the films for free once they are released on the platform.

Films will also be available to stream individually for a small fee, for those who do not wish to purchase a pass for the whole festival. We would recommend purchasing a festival pass, however, both in terms of value for money and also in order to gain access to all of our live events which will only be available to those with a festival pass.