A film about the turmoil of the defective concrete block crisis in Donegal stirred deep emotions at a screening in Buncrana.
GALAR, by Inishowen filmmaker Niall Duffy, is a short 25 minute film about a family turned upside down as their home crumbles.
On Sunday last, Niall held a private screening at Buncrana Cinema for the cast and crew directly involved in the production.
鈥淲hen the film started and the curtains opened, you could really feel the emotions in the room,鈥 said Niall.
鈥淪ometimes it was completely silent, other times you鈥檇 hear gasps, and plenty of people were wiping away tears. By the end, we got a standing ovation from the several hundred who attended, something far beyond what we had anticipated.鈥
Niall, founder of the Keltik Elk production company, said the reaction has only fuelled the need to keep pushing further.
GALAR, which premiered in its shorter format at the Carmarthen Bay Film Festival in Wales in May, may soon be developed into a feature-length drama with the support of Screen Ireland.
As the film begins its run on the festival circuit, both in Ireland and abroad, Niall is hoping to release more news and have more public showings down the line in parishes across Donegal.
Leading campaigners in Donegal have been moved by the depiction of the story.
100% Redress Party Councillor Joy Beard said it was an 鈥渉onest and compassionate film鈥.
鈥淚t captured the truth, the pain, the exhaustion, and most importantly, the lived experience of what families are enduring in this never-ending nightmare for so many,鈥 Cllr Beard said.
GALAR stars Mark Loughran, Claire Rafferty, Ashana Cummings and Nigel O鈥橬eill. The film follows a fictional character of Michael Gallagher, a rural homeowner whose life is upended by the discovery of defective building blocks in his house. As Michael grapples with the physical decay of his home and the battles with government bureaucracy, he also faces a personal health crisis.
More than 200 extras took part in the film, many of whom were personally affected by the DCB crisis.
鈥淕alar is more than a film. It鈥檚 a haunting portrayal of the ongoing crisis facing families in Donegal, whose homes are quite literally crumbling around them,鈥 said Karina Cummings, mother of lead young actress Ashana Cummings in her debut role.
Campaigner Michael Doherty said the DCB story was 鈥渃rying out鈥 to be told and that he was delighted with the authenticity of the portrayal.
Michael said: 鈥淚 was uncharacteristically nervous ahead of the screening -nervous that our story might be undersold but, quickly I was reassured and settled into a tremendous journey in the short 25mins we had. It stirred me and everyone that watched it and my first reaction was 鈥 that there鈥檚 a feature film in this!鈥
鈥淲e鈥檙e really thankful to everyone who helped make this film happen,鈥 Niall adds. 鈥淚t means a lot to know that it鈥檚 connected, even in a small way, with the people living through this. The film tries to show what life is really like behind closed doors, looking out from inside a defective block home.鈥
Keep an eye on Keltik Elk鈥檚 social media: Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram for future screening updates.