Three exciting filmmakers have collaborated with some of Ireland’s talented musicians to create poignant short films with accompanying scores.

The Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield is set to host a night of live music alongside stunning short films on 11 May. ‘Dream Baby Dream’ takes place Thursday, showcasing three original short films, with proceedings kicking off at 19.00.

In 2022, Regional Cultural Centre and Leagues O’Toole curated and commissioned three films to be created in a collaborative effort, highlighting the power of both crucial elements of film.

All three projects were shot on 16mm film and feature original soundtracks and ‘Dream Baby Dream’, the exhibition in The Lighthouse Cinema, supplies the unique experience of viewing live music in a cinema setting, adding yet another layer of depth to each work. Musicians involved in the project and performing on the night include Katie Kim, Lemoncello and Rachael Lavelle, and Elaine Howley. 

The films were first premiered in Letterkenny at the Regional Culture Centre and now will be shown for the first time in Dublin. The night of audiovisual experiences will be sure to contain a vast range of emotion and themes “unified in their appreciation of mystery”. Featured directors include Charlie Joe Doherty, Bob Gallagher and Laura Quirke.

Tickets cost 25.00 euro and you can buy them here. Scroll down for more information on each film and soundtrack.

Hour of the Ox – Directed by Bob Gallagher. Music by Katie Kim

This short film is a companion piece to Katie Kim’s recent album of the same title. The film takes an abstract look at the creative process behind the album, focusing in particular on Kim and Gallagher’s mutual appreciation of cattle. With the charm of 16mm, the documentary combines an array of bovine footage with interviews recorded with Katie, an ox farmer and a butcher, exploring the question ‘Why do we do what we do?’ raised in the album’s lyrics. A somewhat unsettling yet captivating watch.

“Music is such a big part of each film and they’re quite balanced in that way.” Participating director, Bob Gallagher said, “There are amazing moments in each of the films where the music and visuals collide to bring you somewhere different to where either of them would take you on their own.”

This Year’s Lull – Directed by Charlie Joe Doherty. Music by Elaine Howley

This Years Lull strives to encapsulate the life of a Donegal teen. It follows a young man, Bambi, on the course of a Sunday in his rural coastal existence in Donegal, Ireland. The opening sequence is an ebb and flow of spoken word and imagery, encapsulating the mourning of time and the loss of those around us as adolescence passes by.

Devotion – Directed by Laura Quirke. Music by Rachael Lavelle & Claire Kinsella

Through candid recordings of dialogue between a mother and her children, ‘Devotion’ raises questions of the sacrifices we make to find joy and purpose in life. These intimate conversations are woven into dreamlike sequences of a young woman living two alternate lives; pondering the choice of motherhood, the creative pursuit and the ultimate questions of how, why and to whom we choose to devote our time.

There’s no doubt with the calibre of acts involved that you’ll come away having experienced some great live music. The setting of the cinema will give it a unique atmosphere with artists hoping to draw you into their own musical universes.

Tickets cost 25.00 euro and you can buy them here

Elsewhere on District: Northern Irish short film “An Irish Goodbye” gets Oscar nomination

We’ve teamed up with Hennessy to showcase the homegrown acts we’re tipping to make big moves in 2023. Qbanaa, Curtisy, Lowkick, ENI, DeCarteret, and MOIO play The Complex, Dublin on Thursday 1 June. Tickets are free and can be booked here.