What’s the story?

A documentary exploring the harrowing history of Our Lady’s Mental Hospital in Cork is among the prime picks for a Leeside film showcase taking place this week.

A contemplative piece from war-torn Yemen, a tale of controversial whale hunting in the Faroe Islands, and a ghost story from a submerged village in Ireland are among the other finalist documentaries in this year’s Story? International Student Documentary Festival.

The 3 day festival, presented by MTU Crawford College of Art and Design, received a record number of entries from filmmakers in Ireland and across the globe this year. There was a total of 925 entries from 98 countries, most of which were from the USA (96), followed by India (83), Turkey (51), the United Kingdom (42) and Brazil (42).

Festival Director Frank O’Donovan, a media lecturer at MTU Cork, said: “This is a showcase of the cutting-edge documentaries that students from Ireland and across the world are making these days.

“We are featuring great documentaries from students at MTU Cork, from our MA in Journalism in particular, MTU Kerry, UCC and other universities around the country. There are also documentaries from Europe, the US, Asia, and the Middle East.”

He added: “These films are eminently watchable, excellent and engaging, with topics ranging from contemporary issues such as climate change, war and ageing to contemplative pieces that make you pause and think.”

Documentaries will be shown in the Rory Gallagher Theatre in MTU, Bishopstown Campus, and the Gate Cinema in Cork city centre.

The awards ceremony will be held in St Fin Barre's Cathedral at 3pm tomorrow, Friday.

The 16 finalists’ documentaries are now being considered for awards by a 5 member panel of judges, under the chairmanship of distinguished documentary maker Tom Roberts. Tom is the founder of October Films and is one of the leading directors of his generation. He has won more than 55 international awards and nominations during his career.

Awards at this year’s festival include Best Documentary of the Festival, Best International Documentary, Best Irish Documentary, and Best Animated Documentary.

The festival will show a range of selected films, including semi-finalists and finalists over the three days and is Ireland's only resident film showcase of its kind, making it an exciting event for both filmmakers and film enthusiasts alike.

Story? is supported by the MTU Arts Office CREATE Le Chéíle Arts Project Fund.