Resilient Voices: 2nd edition of the Irish Film Festival in São Paulo
Connecting people across borders through four acclaimed Irish documentaries, Brazilian audiences had a glimpse into Ireland’s community through stories of community, inclusion, resilience and love this August. The Consulate General of Ireland in São Paulo, in partnership with Cinemateca Brasileira, launched the second edition of the Irish Film Festival in São Paulo, under the theme “Resilient Voices”.
This year’s programme featured four contemporary documentaries exploring real life stories and perspectives of love, resilience, hope, and courage in the face of adversity. The festival invited audiences to engage with the power of documentary storytelling, to discover the many stories that shape Ireland today, and to spark important conversations about inclusion and diversity. While each film tells a different story, they raise common themes that resonate beyond Ireland's borders.
The power of storytelling through film
'Listen to the Land Speak' (Maurice O’Brien, 2025), saw Manchán Magan reveal the profound knowledge and wisdom contained in Ireland’s landscape and myths. It also became an unexpectedly personal story as Manchán, who has since passed away, shared his diagnosis of a serious illness within himself, that made him see the ancient sites and beliefs in a whole new light.
The connections he drew […] really moved me. Ireland’s landscapes also enrich these reflections on the fleeing nature of life
Another beautifully shot story of overcoming and coping with illness, 'Don’t Forget to Remember' (Ross Killeen, 2024), followed artist Asbestos as he examined the fragility of memory, and the lived experience of his mother’s advancing Alzheimer’s disease. Throughout his journey, the documentary celebrated the joys and memories of his family’s life lived together.
The thing that surprised me most was the certainty that even with all of this distance, love remains
Celebrating inclusion and diversity
'Born That Way' (Éamon Little, 2025), told the extraordinary story of Patrick Lydon and his wife Gladys, sharing their life in community with people of diverse needs, abilities, and background as part of the radically inclusive Camphill Movement. This remarkable story had a surprising and deeply moving connection to São Paulo, as a former Brazilian volunteer and friend of both Patrick and Gladys, shared her own experience of watching the documentary in Cinemateca Brasileira:
I was a volunteer at Camphill Callan in 2013 (…) and it was an amazing experience. I’m very happy you brought this film today so more people can know about history, Camphill’s story, it’s philosophy of care.
The Consulate was delighted to screen 'A Quiet Love' (Garry Keane, 2025), as it is Ireland’s first Irish Sign Language feature. Produced by Deaf and hearing team, the film captured three remarkable love stories: a decades-long forbidden romance across a religious divide, a same-sex couple navigating parenthood with Deaf and hearing children, and a Deaf boxer and his hearing partner facing a life-altering choice.
I was deeply moved by the film and felt many emotions, including empathy. It was amazing to see the LGBTQIAPN+ community and stories of cochlear implant, deaf people who speak, and deaf people who sign
Consul General Robert Jackson reflected on the power of documentary film to foster connection and understanding:
“Through these universal themes of the human experience, we hope these stories will inspire audiences, highlight the impact of non-fiction filmmaking, and ultimately create a space for intercultural dialogue grounded in inclusion and diversity.”
With such universal themes of human experience, these stories serve as an inspiration and create a space for cultural dialogue between Ireland and Brazil.
The Consulate looks forward to bringing the third edition of the Irish Film Festival to São Paulo in 2027.
Look back on the film festival highlights and audience testimonials below.
Videos by © Icarus Filmes
Translation by Gustavo Assef, La Torre Tradução e Interpretação
Libras (Brazilian sign language) interpretation by Fabiano Campos