Independent documentary feature Home is a Dubliner's personal journey through his adopted city, New York. Sean McCarthy talks to the filmmakers Dawn Scibilia and Alan Cooke about this unusual project, which makes its world premiere at this year's Galway Film Fleadh.

Lady Liberty's bare heels are restless, but her majestic gaze is fixed forever beyond the city she has never seen. Now, from the metropolis behind her, producer/director Dawn Scibilia and writer/co-producer Alan Cooke emerge with their independent feature-length film Home. Home sees Dubliner Cooke wandering about Manhattan reflecting on his recent immigration to New York City, exploring nostalgia, the journey and the concept of home. The film includes a nifty balance of interviews with ordinary New Yorkers, immigrants, and a host of prominent New Yorkers. Woody Allen, David Amram, Armand DiMele, Pete Hamill, Elaine Kaufman, Fran Lebowitz, Frank and Malachy McCourt, Alfred Molina, Mike Myers, Liam Neeson, Drew Nieporent, Rosie Perez, Colin Quinn, and Susan Sarandon all share their great love for the city they themselves now call 'home'. Following a private screening at Goldcrest in the meatpacking district of Manhattan, I caught up with the filmmakers.

Sean: Why did you choose to write a story about New York, rather than any other city in the world?

Alan: Well I moved to NY in 2001, and I'm still here. The width and depth of experiences that I encountered as I lived here were unlike anything I had encountered before. I was affected by New York in so many ways, it felt to me like I was in a river of humanity, knee deep in cultures, energy, history and change. Writing my thoughts and feelings on the journey became a necessity. I feel all interesting pieces of creative work, whether it be a poem or a painting, come from an intense need to make sense of the world you are in. It was also my first real extended period away from home in Ireland and I started to change and grow. I wanted to record that growth and my relationship with New York. I had not lived in any other city as long as this, and I feel you pass a benchmark in time and suddenly you feel like you are on a journey of real living.

The full article is printed in Film Ireland 105.