Guth Gafa – tá mo chroí istigh ionat
Guth Gafa's 13th birthday is in just 5 days, and what a party we're gonna have. Guth Gafa is a teenager at last, and I feel like the proud parent, marvelling at the last twelve years and wondering what will our precious teen do next, looking on with a mix of joy and trepidation.
But a life lived in fear is a life half-lived (thanks Baz Luhrmann for one of the greatest movie quotes ever), so we will not be afraid of our thirteen year old. We will shout proudly from the rooftops what our wonderful teenager has achieved so far, and we will look forward with a real thrill to what they will accomplish this year, and from here onwards.
And whatever happens, it's time for a real celebration, and we would love all of you to come and join us to celebrate. Come and get warm and cosy, and cuddle up with your favourite friends, and watch some of the best films from around the world with us. And come and see our stunning 2019 Guth Gafa venue.
In 12 previous Guth Gafa's we have built our flagship pop-up cinemas in remarkable places - including to name but a few, the old Courthouse on Malin Green, the Adam Ballroom in Headfort House, two Parish Halls in Gortahork, an unused aircraft hangar in Kells, gymnasiums, classrooms, on village greens, and most famously perhaps in a telephone booth.
But I believe the venue for our 13th Guth Gafa will eclipse all those previous ones. In the space of just under two weeks, we have built a 2-screen Cinema complex and Cafe in an unused abandoned Convent.
BEFORE
and AFTER
We have achieved the seemingly impossible, overcome the apparently insurmountable, and created something truly special, something any parent of a 13 year old would be proud of - a most unique and remarkable venue in which, next week, we will deliver a world-class cinema and Guth Gafa festival experience for the 13th time.
BEFORE
AND AFTER A WEEK
BEFORE
AND HALFWAY THERE
We've done all this with tremendous love and support from the Kells community, Local Heroes volunteers, skilled local electricians, carpenters, designers, builders providers, tentologists, staging specialists,
and many many more.
BEFORE
....and NOW NEARLY THERE
And, as always, we've done it all on a shoestring budget. But we're not complaining because we're teenagers now, and in 13 years we have done so much with so little, and in the next 13 years we will do much more, perhaps with even less. As writer PJ O’Rourke said: "In thirteen years, every aspect of the universe can change - ask a thirteen-year-old."
One small thing – Guth Gafa can only exist if there’s an audience. This year it’s a real challenge – it’s winter, it gets dark early, it’s cold, it’s close to Christmas. More than ever, we need you, who are our truly loyal audience and friends, to come along this November.
And if you can’t come, please, please pass on our programme, share the news, tell people about what amazing things Guth Gafa does. Buy a ticket for a friend – whatever you can do, it will be a huge help to us, and it will help us convince all our funders to continue supporting us.
So consider this your personal invitation to probably the best film festoval and the best birthday party in Ireland. Please make the effort to come this year, and help us carry on doing what we do.
And roll on the next 13 years of our brave, indomitable little teenage Festival, which wears the biggest heart on its sleeve.
Tá mo chroí istigh ionat (Guth Gafa, my heart is within you).
David and Neasa
To keep up to date with all our festival news, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, or visit our website.
A huge thank you to all of our supporters, and especially to Guth Gafa’s principal funders, Meath County Council, The Arts Council of Ireland, the Broadcast Authority of Ireland, Screen Ireland, Creative Ireland and Soilsiú Films.
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/GuthGafaFilmFestival
Twitter – https://twitter.com/GuthGafa
Website – www.guthgafa.com
Instagram – @guthgafa
For all media enquiries please call David 086 8118112 or by email da...@guthgafa.com
