On Easter Sunday last year, the screen industry suffered a great loss with the passing of filmmaker Martha O’Neill.
Two films she produced, dance documentary Breakin’ Brothers and the 2011 IFTA-nominated Deep End Dance are screening this month on Living Canvas, the large outdoor screen located on the grounds of the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). Both are by CoisCéim Dance Theatre and are being shown as part of the IMMA Horizons programming strand.
The outdoor film screenings are dedicated to the memory of Martha and her lasting legacy of powerful, moving work. Writer and journalist Lynn Larkin catches up with David Bolger, CoisCéim Dance Theatre’s artistic director.
Thanks for chatting with us! Can you tell us more about this screening?
These screenings mean a great deal to me. I love that they’re taking place at IMMA - it feels very special to share the films in such a beautiful and culturally significant place, reaching a much wider audience. There’s something magical about the possibility that someone might discover them by chance - perhaps a visitor wandering through the grounds who suddenly catches a glimpse of the films on the large outdoor screen. I’ve always found it particularly moving when people who weren’t expecting to encounter dance films find themselves drawn in.
Above all, these screenings are a heartfelt tribute to the films’ producer, Martha O’Neill, who sadly passed away last year. The films stand, in part, as a beautiful reminder of the breadth and depth of her remarkable career as a creative film producer.
Your work has largely lived in dance theatre...what drew you to film?
I have always been drawn to film as a medium because of its immense possibilities. It allows me to direct the audience’s attention to tiny details and subtle nuances in the story - or, in the case of Deep End Dance, to an entire underwater journey lasting six minutes. What fascinates me most is how the camera can become a dancing partner, weaving in and out of the action with fluid grace. In Breakin’ Brothers, for example, the intimate close-ups on the complex breakdance sequences heighten the dynamic energy and capture the intense emotion the dancers feel during a breaking set. As a filmmaker, this offers a level of articulation and expressive power that simply isn’t possible in live theatre.
Can you talk to us about Martha, your memories working with her on these films?
Martha produced both films and played a pivotal role in bringing them to life. She was one of the kindest people I have ever worked with. A highly respected producer, Martha had an instinctive sense of when to encourage, when to question, and when to be tough, always in the best interests of the project. Nothing ever fazed her. Even with Deep End Dance, where she initially knew very little about water or the complexities of underwater filming, she learned quickly. She sought out the best advice, carried out thorough research, and assembled a team of highly skilled technicians, all on a very tight budget.
Working with Martha made you feel safe and supported. You knew her passion and determination would guide the film toward success.
She understood that film is a deeply collaborative art form, and that bringing the right people together was essential to achieving the best possible results on set. Above all, my strongest memories of Martha are her extraordinary kindness, her tireless work ethic, and her perfect instinct for knowing exactly when to push the pedal down.
Looking back after all this time, has the meaning, or how you look at the work shifted?
These two films feel deeply personal to me.
In Deep End Dance, I am dancing with my mother on screen in the very same swimming pool where she taught me to swim, long before I could even walk.
In Breakin’ Brothers, Cristian and Kevin share their own intimate experiences of moving to Ireland from the Dominican Republic.
With time and a little distance, the meaning and emotional connection of both films have only grown deeper for me. I now notice details and layers in the storytelling that felt completely natural at the time of making them. There is so much more to discover with each viewing.
Above all, I love that these are simple, honest films - authentic in the truest sense.
What would you like audiences to take away from watching these films?
I am so grateful to have these films screened on the Living Canvas as part of our ongoing collaboration with IMMA Horizons.I hope audiences are surprised by the freshness of both films. Although they feel very different in tone and style, they are deeply connected through the way they were made and produced. I also hope the outdoor screenings allow people to experience the films from a completely new perspective. There’s something special about discovering them by chance while wandering the beautiful grounds - the atmosphere itself can deepen the emotional response and make the viewing even more memorable. The final scene of Breakin’ Brothers was shot right here in the quadrant at IMMA, so these screenings feel like a beautiful homecoming.
CoisCéim Cinematheque at IMMA’s Living Canvas, Royal Hospital Kilmainham, will take place from April 16 to 30 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day. These screenings build on CoisCéim’s current collaboration with IMMA Horizons through the Broadreach project MOVING SIGNATURES.
For further information, see www.coisceim.com.
