Bread&Circus

This Is A Prison

90’ | Documentary | Post-Production

The The New Women’s Prison in Limerick is regarded as the most state-of-the-art prison in Europe. With an innovative ‘trauma-informed’ design this is a brave new touchstone for the Irish Prison Services; one that indicates a tide change in how prisons operate in Ireland.

 But what does success look like in a facility like this and how does it reflect upon a modern Ireland? What is rehabilitation? Next to what social norms?

 What does this all say about a society where some may feel safer incarcerated, indeed, where some not even yet born are destined to end up ‘inside’?

Amongst The Wolves

100’ | Feature | Completed

On the streets of Dublin, Danny, a homeless man grappling with the ghosts of his past, finds himself caught in a cycle of despair and survival. Haunted by memories of his time serving in the Royal Irish Army, Danny's life takes a turn when he encounters Will, a young teenager on the run from a dangerous drug gang.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32486316/

Focail Nua

12’ | Documentary | Completed

There are over 300 new words added to the Irish language every month.

Ireland has two full-time terminologists, whose job with the help of a 23-member voluntary expert committee is to create hundreds of new Irish words and phrases each month.

Focail Nua is a celebration of the vitality and tolerance of language, the terms accepted, those discarded and all the regional and traditional complexities in-between that make language relevant.

Mismantler

77’ | Feature | Completed

A collaboration between Director Andrew Keogh, Steve Stapleton & Nurse With Wound. Mismantler grew out of animated visuals for a live Nurse With Wound show. The main character 'The Mismantler' is taken from a collage by Stapleton.

The film is a stream of consciousness exquisite corpse, an attempt to fill a bin bag until brimming with all the worst things on planet earth; our home.

A film for billionaires who aspire to being trillionaires, the millionaires who aspire to being billionaires, the wealthy aspiring to be millionaires. For those who other, those who control narratives; those who blame the poor.

For those who would debase everything to an economic exchange.

Those people who can no longer look humans and creatures in the eye.

Billy in the Bowl

Feature | Pre-Production

A reluctant serial killer trawls the brutal city in his bowl gambling, begging and drinking as the newly established Dublin police force hunt him down.

‘Billy in the Bowl’ was a real person, Billy Davis, a vagrant who lived and died in late 18th century Georgian Dublin. He was unfortunate enough to have been born with no legs and conveyed himself along the streets in a wooden bowl fortified by iron. While he evoked general sympathy, Billy was unusual amongst street beggars in that he was very handsome. This endeared him to many ladies and maids of the time, making him a well-known and well-liked character.

In 1784, a crisis in law and order shook the government to the core, and plans were then laid to establish a new policing force. In 1786, the Irish parliament abolished the parish watch with the passing of the Police Act. The new police experienced severe teething problems (only lasting seven years). One of their first tasks was to track down ‘The Stoneybatter Strangler’ aka Billy in the Bowl.

Dublin city at that time was a city of many contrasts, a cultured but somewhat licentious Aristocracy mingled with hordes of destitute. It was a city of incredibly violent crime, highwaymen, secret societies, dueling, riotous drunkenness, marauding gangs and the like. All of this was going on in the midst of climactic world events such as the American Revolution, the Gordon Riots and the first prison breakout in London, the establishment of the first Irish Police Force, the French Revolution and the ideology and secret meetings of the United Irishmen and the Croppies fomenting in advance of the Irish Rebellion of 1798.

Billy spends his money on boozing and gambling, frequenting the rougher taverns down the darker alleys of the city. His excessive lifestyle leads him onto evermore serious and violent crime all the while he maintains the poor, weak and helpless persona of a beggar that protects him from any accusation until his recklessness leads to his own demise.

The Lugano Report

Feature | Development

The Lugano Report is an adaptation of Susan George’s renowned book. It is a paranoid containment thriller about a think-tank meeting of the new mandarins brought together in a high castle by their invisible commissioners to investigate means of maintaining capitalism for the next 50 years.

‘A brilliant, terrifying book which should be on the beside table of every policy maker in the West.’--Victoria Brittain

‘Susan George’s intimate knowledge of the bureaucratic mindset means that the book works superbly as a satire – following the example of Swift’s Modest Proposal – but her greater aim is to show that there are viable alternatives to this nightmare.’ --New Internationalist

'In this satire, a summit on preserving the capitalist order comes to some disturbing conclusions as it follows the logic of capitalism ad infinitum.' --Washington Post

‘With acid wit and somber truths, The Lugano Report brilliantly portrays, through the eyes of its imagined but all too realistic planners, a world that may be heading for deep trouble.’ --Noam Chomsky

Wanna Hang Out

12’ / Thriller / Completed

Wanna Hang Out tells the story of Beth, a teenage girl who falls victim to online grooming.

For Those Who Believe

Documentary | In Production

“For those who believe, no proof is necessary.

   For those who don’t, no proof is possible.”

João Texeira de Faria, a.k.a. João de Deus ran a "Spiritist" healing centre at the Casa Dom Ignacio in Abadiania, Brazil for over 40 years. Fergus Tighe made a film about João between 2003 and 2005 with much of the material he shot used for an Oprah Winfrey TV special in 2010. The resultant publicity drew thousands of visitors to the Casa from all over the world. There were rumours that Joao was abusing his position to perpetrate sexual abuses against women and young girls from mid 2005. Fergus investigated such a case after his film was made. A young woman made allegations but refused to do an interview. In December of 2018, after allegations finally became public on Brasilian TV he was arrested. Over three hundred women of all ages came forward and accused him. In December 2019 he was convicted in the first of many cases and is currently serving over 60 years with many more charges to come. He is now 77 years old. He will die in jail.

The 4th Act

75’ | Documentary | Completed

“A powerful documentary telling the story of the displacement of a Dublin working class community through the film and video archives of the community itself.”

- Irish Film Archives

The 4th Act tells the story of the €1bn regeneration of Ballymun, a high-rise working-class community on the northside of Dublin. Ballymun is home to the largest social regeneration programme in Europe. The film examines the legacy of this 18-year project via the dramatically and digitally reconstructed memories of the community itself pulled together from over 300 hours of archive material.

You can watch the full film on the website linked below:

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Fingerprints

20’ / Drama / Details / Completed

Fingerprints tells the story of David, a 10 year old boy from a working class area of Dublin. Struggling to live in poverty, an abusive home and hopelessness, he reluctantly befriends his school teacher. As their relationship grows, it brings trouble and heartache for both characters.

Riddled

13’ / Comedy / Completed

Riddled follows the story of two childhood friends who still, despite being adults, don’t take life too seriously. Richie has an appointment at the local STD Clinic and needs his pal, Dave, for moral support. Dave is more interested in making fun of Richie’s unfortunate situation.

Broken Whispers

14’ / Drama / Completed

Broken Whispers tells the story of Joshua, a 20 year old man from Dublin, who suffers with mental health issues. Along with his chaotic home life, he finds his life spiralling out of control, until he meets Riley. Together, they help each other get through their respective troubles.

Shamrocracy

85’ | Comedy | Completed

‘jaw-dropping satire on Irish politics.’

- Galway Film Fleadh

Terry Ghusto believes he can fix Ireland. Having observed the economic demise of his native country a renewed Terry returns home to campaign for a seat in government. Without an arse in his trousers Terry turns to his life-long friend and brother-in-law Bobby Channels for support, shelter and solace. The redundant and impressionable Bobby is dragged into Terry’s world, leading Bobby to a crisis of faith.

The odd couple confront unemployment, politics and religion with unbridled vigour and often misplace enthusiasm. Having usurped Bobby’s house and headspace, Terry is about to drive Bobby mental.

Shamrocracy is an improvised satirical caper comedy. With a limited script outline involving real people, real politicians, real celebrities and real locations, Shamrocracy fuses fiction with reality - often indistinguishably.

In This Way

16’ / Thriller / Completed

In This Way is a film about two deeply traumatized individuals and the affect recent grief has had on their relationship. The film highlights people’s inability to communicate and empathize fully with another’s burdens. It also portrays in a dark manner the extremes some people have to go to in order to command attention and seek help. The characters in the film offer up no justification for their actions. The viewer is merely allowed to invade their privacy and watch the couple’s domestic existence and the more macabre, horrific, side of their relationship.