Older Than Ireland
OLDER THAN IRELAND (FEATURE) 2015
TEAM
Director: Alex Fegan
Producer: Garry Walsh
DoP: Colm Nicell
ABOUT
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 centenarians.
Directed by award winning filmmaker Alex Fegan, OLDER THAN IRELAND features thirty men and women aged 100 years and 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. OLDER THAN IRELAND’s observational style offers a rare insight into the personal lives of these remarkable individuals.
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 truly are OLDER THAN IRELAND, they are our living history and these are their extraordinary stories.
AWARDS
Winner Best Documentary The Galway Film Fleadh
Winner Best Documentary The Irish Times Ticket Award
Nominated The Bingham Ray New Talent Award
Best of the Fest: Cork Film Festival
Winner Director’s Choice Award Boston Irish Film Festival
Nominated Irish Film & Television Academy Award (IFTA) Best Feature Documentary, 2016
Nominated Irish Film & Television Academy Award (IFTA) Rising Star Award, Alex Fegan 2016
REVIEWS
★★★★@The Guardian
“You’ll shed a tear or two, possibly more.”
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★★★★★@RTEten
“Older Than Ireland is peppered with wise words, great memories, plenty of humour, a lot of energy and – cue the Kleenex – one of the saddest true stories I’ve ever heard. If you’re not moved by this film, you’re not human. Poignant, funny, fantastic . . . Oh, just go and see it.”
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“Older Than Ireland ends up as an extraordinarily comprehensive document.”
Interview with Alex Fegan
“The film swells with indecent amounts of poignancy, wisdom and irreverent humour”
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★★★★★@The Herald
“One of the most exquisite films of the year”
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★★★★★@The Evening Echo
“Older Than Ireland is a heartfelt piece of work, sensitively filmed and beautifully shot.”
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“The result is also one of the most unique and insightful historical documents ever committed to film in this country”.
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★★★★@Hotpress
“Irish director Alex Fegan again becomes the ear for untold stories in Older Than Ireland, a warm and wonderfully humane documentary”.
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★★★★@Sunday Business Post
“Older Than Ireland is an essential document, a living history of who we were and who we are”.
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“Older than Ireland evokes the full range of emotions, from laughter to tears, in an ultimately inspirational film.”
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“A remarkable documentary, ‘Older Than Ireland’ prompted plenty of giggles, but also that wonderful deafening cinema silence, and tears.”
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★★★★@Spooool.ie
“Older than Ireland is more than an enjoyable trip down memory lane, it is an important historical record as well as an investigation into Irishness itself.”
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★★★★@Entertainment.ie
“We’re treated to stories of first kisses, first loves, dating rituals, and marriage.”
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