Older Than Ireland
DIRECTOR: Alex Fegan
WRITER: Alex Fegan
RUNNING TIME: 81 min
GENRE: Documentary
AWARDS: Winner Best Documentary The Galway Film Fleadh, 2015
Directed by Alex Fegan (The Irish Pub), Older Than Ireland is a landmark documentary that tells the story of a hundred years of a life as seen through the eyes of thirty Irish men and women aged 100 or over.
Often funny and at times poignant, the film explores each centenarian's journey, from their birth at the dawn of Irish independence to their life as a centenarian in modern day Ireland.
Reflecting on such key events as the day they got their first pair of shoes, the thrill of their first kiss, from the magic of their wedding day to the tragic loss of their loved ones, these centenarians have lived through it all. Having witnessed a century of immense social, political and technological change each centenarian has a unique perspective on life and its true meaning.
From the oldest Irish person ever on record, 113-year-old Kathleen Snavely to Ireland's oldest man, 108-year-old Luke Dolan we meet a colourful cast of characters, from all walks of life, from the four corners of Ireland. These centenarians are our living history and these are their extraordinary stories.
★★★★ "You'll shed a tear or two, possibly more." - The Guardian
"Weaves together oral histories to create a moving portrayal of living at the outer edge of mortality-the subjects are Irish, but the subject is life itself." - Film Journal International
"A lovely and inspiring experience" - NY Times