Our director Rita Davern and Sheila Keane, from the Michael Cusack Centre in Carron, who is also involved in the film, stopped by Clare FM for a chat before the Irish Premiere of Burren Girl at Hotel Doolin on May 4th 8pm. Listen to the interview below:
burren girl documentary
April Reads: "Rita’s film traces her Burren ancestry" - The Clare Herald /
In preparation for our screening on May 4th in Ireland at Hotel Doolin read this lovely article by Pat Flynn in THE CLARE HERALD about our documentary:
“In 2015, encouraged by her niece Maria, Rita began the film, despite having no previous filmmaking experience. She said: “I started taking film classes to learn things like how to light and shoot an effective interview. Thankfully I met some talented filmmakers willing to teach me,”
from “ Rita’s film Traces her Burren Ancestry” - The Clare Herald
We are incredibly excited to welcome you to our May 4th (8pm) screening at Doolin Hotel! To come back to where our documentary’s journey began ( and what a journey it has been!) is amazing. We can’t wait!
Our screening is FREE with donations welcome for Burrenbeo Trust. Booking is mandatory as seating is limited!
Burren Girl Goes Home to The Burren! /
Join us on MAY 4th 8pm (20:00) at Hotel Doolin for the Irish Premiere of our documentary. We are delighted to show and discuss the film with everyone! The entry to the event is FREE with donations welcome for Burrenbeo Trust. Booking is essential and can be done here:
From the Burrenbeo Trust website:
“This emigrant descendant retraces her grandmother Anne Davoren’s life before leaving Carrowduff townland near Lahinch for the U.S. in 1887. The film artfully weaves in both the ancient farming history of the Burren and a vibrant picture of its present-day inhabitants. The backdrop of it all is the illustrious history of one of the traditional clans of the Burren, the Ó Dubhdábhoireann (O’Davoren).
For someone who just picked up filmmaking seven years ago, the making of the film is a worthy story in itself. “I was determined not to let this story of my family history get lost again,” Davern said. “It really matters to me that the next generation understands who we are and where we came from. That’s what compelled me to do something I didn’t have a clue how to do.”
NUI librarian Edward O’Loghlen described the film recently: “Since 2010, Rita has followed the trail of her north Clare grandmother, through engaging with the various strands of the Davoren story. Her research has revealed much about the impact of Irish emigration, displaying the various family bonds which emerged, through the forging of Irish-American family alliances.”
We hope you will treat yourself to an evening out to see this outstanding documentary highlighting our community, its people past and present, and its beauty.”
Official Selection: The Archaeology Channel International Film Festival /
Hello from 2022!
We are starting the year with wonderful news. Burren Girl was selected to screen at The Archaeology Channel International Film Festival, a juried international competition in the cultural heritage/archaeology film genre, looking to bring you the world’s best films relating to archaeology, ancient and indigenous cultures, and their world!
The next year's 19th Annual edition of The Archaeology Channel International Film Festival will run from Wednesday, May 11th, through Sunday, May 15th, 2022, with most venues located in downtown Eugene, Oregon.
If you happen to be in Eugene, Oregon during that time, stop by and watch our film (exact date/time TBA) and check out the rest of this wonderful festival!
Spring Grove IFF: Featured Friday Filmmaker Rita Davern /
Director Rita Davern sat down with Spring Grove International Film Festival director Katie O’ Reagan for a chat about the story of Burren Girl and the journey it took to make the film.We can’t wait for July when Burren Girl will screen at Spring Grove International Film Festival in Spring Grove, Minnesota.
Watch the interview below:
“Rita Davern is the Creator and Director of “Burren Girl” chosen to in the Spring Grove International Film Festival 2021 in the category of Historical Family Documentaries. Filmed in Ireland, this short film, is not only of important historic cloth, it also is beautiful and well told.”
Q&A at Beloit Film Fest w/ director Rita Davern & editor/writer Miles Painter /
Burren Girl director and producer, Rita Davern and editor/writer Miles Painter took part in Beloit International Film Fest’s Q&A Conversation on Tuesday February 23, 2021 via Zoom alongside filmmakers from two other documentaries: The Road Up (director Jon Siskel) & Big Scary S Word (Author John Nichols and Producer Morgan Spector). The Q&A was moderated by Lindsay Mitchell and can be watched down below:
Official Selection: Beloit International Film Festival /
We are delighted to screen at Beloit International Film Festival this time as part of the festival’s official virtual program. We can’t wait to show our film to more people.
Tickets for virtual screenings go on sale: Friday, February 19
Live Q&A : Tuesday, February 23 5:30 pm CST
WATCH: Burren Girl Q&A at Beloit IFF Year 'Round Film Series /
Last month, we had the pleasure of screening as part of Beloit IFF Year ‘Round Film Program, a weekly independent film series, featuring encore presentations of the festival’s finest films, as well as a lineup of the hottest new film submissions possibly destined to screen at the next BIFF in February 2021 (more news on that soon!).
Director Rita Davern and Burren Girl writer and editor, Miles Painter, talked with Greg Gerard, the executive director of Beloit International Film Festival about our documentary and how it came to be. Take a look at Q&A down bellow:
Screenshot from Beloit International Film Festival website
Interview with TCFF /
We had a one time screening at Twin Cities Film Fest on November 20 where our director Rita Davern sat down for an interview with TCFF managing director, Bill Cooper. Watch the Q&A/interview below.
Encore Screening at Twin Cities Film Festival /
If you missed Burren Girl at Twin Cities Film Fest in October no worries! You get another chance to watch our documentary this upcoming Friday, November 20th 7pm CST on the festival’s website. The screening will be followed up by a Q&A!
How to watch instructions:
DIRECT Link to the Film Page (will require user to log-in or create an account)
https://twincitiesfilmfest.org/live-movie-events/burren-girl/
OR
Go to: www.twincitiesfilmfest.org
Click on My Account to Log In or Create a New Account
Click on Special Streaming Events on top of the page
Click on BURREN GIRL
Click on Purchase Film and go through the Check Out Process
Click on My Movie Library
Enjoy the Film on Nov 20th at 7pm w/ a post film Q&A!
Our first award /
We’ve received great news from the Twin Cities Film Fest! Our documentary has won the Audience Award in the Non- Fiction category and we couldn’t be happier. Thank you to everyone who watched our documentary online at the festival!
Read the press release below.
Kind Words /
This week BURREN GIRL is having it’s virtual world premiere at Twin Cities Film Fest (October 22nd - 31st) and we’ve been delighted to receive so many kind words about the film!
Also, a lovely article has been published in the Villager newspaper about Rita directing and producing two documentaries that reflect her journey of learning more about her Irish roots. You can read the article HERE or go to our press section.
Follow us on social media for more updates!
We’ve also received some kind words about Burren Girl from author Erin Hart:
"Just screened the wonderful Burren Girl from Saint Paul filmmaker Rita Davern tracing her family history all the way back to the medieval O'Davoren law school at Cahermacnaghten, County Clare. A thoroughly satisfying deep dive into sustaining human connections through centuries. History, ancient manuscripts, traditional music, storytelling, connections to the land. If you like my books, you will love this beautiful film."
Below is an excerpt from Erin Hart’s website (https://erinhart.com) which we encourage you to browse:
Welcome to the bogs, the pubs, the music, the landscape, the archaeology, the poetry, the mystery that is Ireland... And to the official website of Erin Hart, author of the Nora Gavin/Cormac Maguire crime novels. Erin's debut, HAUNTED GROUND, was nominated for mystery's prestigious Anthony and Agatha awards, and won Romantic Times Best First Mystery, and the Friends of American Writers award. The second novel in the series, LAKE OF SORROWS, was shortlisted for a Minnesota Book Award. The third in the series, FALSE MERMAID, was named by ALA/Booklist as one of the best crime novels of 2010. The fourth book in the series, THE BOOK OF KILLOWEN, received wide critical acclaim when it was released in 2013, and is a Minnesota Book Award finalist.
Archaeology is an apt metaphor for how Erin unearths her novels— working down through many layers, finding connections, bringing priceless artefacts and terrible secrets of the past to light. With that metaphor in mind, this site also has plenty of hidden layers to uncover. Have fun digging!
First screening of Burren Girl /
We are finally able to share the exciting news of our official selection at Twin Cities Film Festival (October 22nd - 31st ). We can’t wait to show you the finished film! Exact screening dates coming soon!
We've reached our crowdfunding campaign goal! 104% FUNDED! /
The BURREN GIRL INDIEGOGO CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN
With the help of 63 generous supporters, we’ve reached and surpassed our crowdfunding campaign goal of $20,000. We are forever grateful to everyone who contributed and brought us to 104% funded thus making it possible for us to finish the Burren Girl documentary film. Thank you!
Note from the director:
“Forever thanks to these folks who brought us to our goal ! Because of the generosity of our Indiegogo donors, Burren Girl Documentary film will get completed! See you at a release in St. Paul, Minnesota or County Clare, Ireland in 2020. Your kindness and encouragement over the past six years literally made this film happen!"
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Maria Flynn Conway
Kay Hannahan
Eric Utne
Jean Larson
Kristofer Sween
Ellen Thayer
Elizabeth Farrell
Maeve Reilly
Joan Portel
Beth Painter
Frank and Karren Lewanovich
Allyson Perling
Stacy Dennis
Maria Schoeller
Nor Hall
Mary Schoeller
Tom Schoeller
Kathleen Stenersen
Eivind Stenerson
Colleen Davern
Tom Davern
Holly Farrell
Mike Cameron
Mary Sorensen
Margaret Delapaz
Dick Delapaz
Kevin Schroeder
Tricia Powers
Thomas Reagan
Karen Reagan
Marge Wherley
Jamie Hathaway
Mary Lou Sorensen
Rena Rogers
Cory Penttila
Peg Mickelson
Patrick Davern
Terry Davern Bob Schunicht
James Laine
Greer Stene
Michael Lins
Bill Davern
Sue Davern
Yfthayer
Katleen Bell-Bonjean
Maggie McCann Pike
Kathleen Root
Chris Newberry
Molly Krehbiel
Don Ireland-Schunicht
Annie Breitinger
Molly Schunicht
Susan Rosenthal
Karen Smallidge
Travis Kiewel
Cathleen Pryor
Mark Douglas Cowan
Andrea Prevost
Andrew Prevost
Susan Parker
Martin Meyler
Archie Simpson
Gail Dixon
Jim Dixon
Robert J McPartlin
Timothy Scanlan
Ismael Martinez-Ortiz & IMO
Mary Finley
Joe Finley
Steve Goldfine Jane Powers Michael Green Frank Lewanovich
Several anonymous donors
Music that soothes the soul /
Background music plays a big role in documentary films. It enables a film to evoke an emotional response in viewers. For Burren Girl, we wanted to combine the sadness of a lost past with music so beautiful that listening actually soothes the soul. Our music communicates a backdrop of grief wrapped in brightness, spirit and hope. What a combination! Childsplay violinists, playing instruments made by Bob Childs, create this kind of musical magic in many of their compositions. Enjoy watching and listening to them at these links:
Composer/violinist Hanneke Cassel
EVENT: September 15 - Burren Girl Sneak Preview Clips and Crowdfunding Campaign Launch /
Five years of filming are complete! The BURREN GIRL Crowdfunding Campaign will bring us across the finishing line in 2020 and we hope to have you part of our journey!
Join us for the BURREN GIRL Sneak Preview and Clips + Crowdfunding Campaign launch at the
Celtic Junction Arts Center
(836 Prior Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104)
September 15th, 4-6pm.
Live music - Appetizers - Gifts
Tickets: $10 online or $15 at the door
(http://bit.ly/TicketsPreviewBurrenGirl)
We hope to see you there!