Tara O’Callaghan’s unapologetic look at Ireland’s sex work industry was recognised at the prestigious film festival.

Sex work documentary Call Me Mommy won Best Short Documentary at the 34th Galway Film Fleadh. The film documents Sinéad Connell and her life as a single mother and mature sex worker. It explores the themes of sex, age and motherhood in the many places that it can appear.

Director Tara O’Callaghan is one of the youngest people to win the award. She told District, “I’m incredibly proud of the fact that our film has received such an amazing reception and award from the Galway Film Fleadh. I’m especially delighted for Sinéad and all of the amazing sex workers I got to talk to throughout this project.”

“It’s very inspiring that we were able to make a film about sex work in Ireland that has received such positive feedback. It’s extremely encouraging as a female director to be in this position.”

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O’Callaghan previously sat down with District to discuss the making of Call Me Mommy: “I was fascinated by how prevalent online sex work has become in comparison to what it was like ten years ago with cam-girls and message boards being the norm.”

“We need to stop demonising the idea of sex work and realise that sex workers are human too. Because I haven’t heard a lot of conversations where they are treated like humans.”

Call Me Mommy was previously selected for the Krakow Film Festival, one of the oldest and most respected Oscar-qualifying film festivals in the world.

Galway Film Fleadh is known as a platform for the boldest new films, bringing a diversity of filmmaking from all around the world. The Fleadh previously premiered Oscar-winning film Once in 2006.

Other winners this year include Best Irish Film Lakelands. The film is about a young Gaelic footballer who struggles to comes to terms with a career-ending injury after an attack on a night out.

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