Burkitt – A film about the life of Irish surgeon Denis Burkitt
Date Posted: May 21, 2025
Burkitt- Clár faisnéise cruthaitheach faoi shaol an mháinlia Denis Burkitt, fear as Éirinn a d’aimsigh liomfóma Burkitt
TG4 Dé Céadaoin an 21 Bealtaine ag 9.30pm
YouTube Burkitt
lár faisnéise cruthaitheach faoi shaol an mháinlia Denis Burkitt, fear as Éirinn a d’aimsigh liomfóma Burkitt – arna insint ag an scannánóir céaduaire Éanna Mac Cana – duine a tháinig slán ón ailse seo. Insítear scéal beatha iontach sa scannán casta seo faoin gcaoi ar tháinig an Dr Denis Burkitt ar liomfóma Burkitt agus faoi thaithí Mhic Cana féin ar an ailse seo.
Rinne an Dr Burkitt, arbh as Contae Fhear Manach dó ó dhúchas, obair cheannródaíoch sa taighde ar ailse, go háirithe san Afraic fho-Shahárach sna 1950idí agus sna 60idí.
Ní hamháin gur athinsint stairiúil é an scannán seo, is léiriú pearsanta chomh maith é ar thuras pearsanta Éanna leis an ngalar seo – fáthmheasadh go raibh liomfóma Burkitt air agus fuair sé cóir leighis dó in 2017. An rud a fhágann gur scannán faisnéise ar leith é seo ná go n-insítear go leor de trí chartlann phearsanta scannán agus grianghraf an Dr Burkitt, chomh maith le taifeadtaí Éanna óna chuid ama in Ospidéal na Cathrach i mBéal Feirste.
Léirítear sa scannán na bealaí cruthaitheacha a ndeachaigh an dá fhear i ngleic le dúshláin an ailse – dúshlán an Dr Burkitt leigheas a fháil, agus dúshlán Éanna déileáil lena fháthmheas ag baint úsáid as an gcruthaitheacht.
Déantar iniúchadh sa scannán seo ar thionchar neamhlíneach an tráma, an chóilíneachais agus cúrsaí eitice i gcúram leighis. Creideann muid go rachaidh an scannán seo go mór i bhfeidhm ní hamháin ar an bpobal leighis ach ar na daoine a bhfuil taithí saoil acu ar ailse agus ar na daoine atá ag tabhairt aghaidh ar chásanna trámacha. TG4, Scáileán Thuaisceart Éireann, An Ciste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge agus Little Ease Films a mhaoinigh na scannáin.
Bhí Burkitt le feiceáil den chéad uair ag Docs Ireland i mí Meithimh 2024 sular léiríodh é mar chuid de 36ú Fleadh Scannán na Gaillimhe agus Sheachtain Eolaíochta na hÉireann níos déanaí an bhliain sin. Leanadh ag taispeáint Burkitt ar fud na hÉireann agus i Sasana i mí Feabhra 2025 mar chuid de chamchuairt ar phictiúrlanna, ar ollscoileanna leighis agus ar ionaid Ghaeilge sular taispeánadh sna Stáit Aontaithe é den chéad uair ag Féile Scannán Éireannach Capital i Washington D.C. I mí Márta 2025 cuireadh tús le Féile Scannán InScience san Ísiltír le Burkitt sular roghnaíodh é an mhí ina dhiaidh sin lena thaispeáint mar chuid den chomórtas ag 60ú Academia Film Olomouc – Príomhfhéile Eolaíochta na hEorpa – áit ar bronnadh an Scannán Céaduaire is Fearr air.
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Burkitt- A creative documentary film about the life of Irish surgeon Denis Burkitt
TG4 Wednesday 21st May 9.30pm
YouTube Clip Burkitt
A creative documentary film about the life of Irish surgeon Denis Burkitt who discovered Burkitt’s lymphoma – as told by first-time filmmaker Éanna Mac Cana – a survivor of this cancer. This enigmatic film tells the remarkable life story of how Dr. Denis Burkitt discovered Burkitt’s lymphoma and Mac Cana’s own experience of this cancer.
Dr. Burkitt, originally from County Fermanagh made groundbreaking contributions to cancer research, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa during the 1950s and 60s.
This film is not just a historical retelling but also an intimate portrayal of Éanna’s own personal journey with this disease —having been diagnosed and treated for Burkitt’s lymphoma in 2017. What makes this documentary truly unique is that much of it is told through Dr. Burkitt’s personal archival films and photographs, combined with Éanna’s own recordings from his time in treatment in Belfast City Hospital.
The film beautifully highlights the creative ways both men approached the challenges of cancer—Dr. Burkitt in finding a cure, and Éanna in using creativity to cope with his diagnosis.
This notable film examines the non-linear impact of trauma, colonialism and the ethics of medical work. We believe this film will deeply resonate with not only the medical community but also those with lived experience of cancer and those overcoming traumatic events. The films was funded by TG4, Northern Ireland Screen, Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund & Little Ease Films.
Burkitt premiered at Docs Ireland in June 2024 before screenings as part of the 36th Galway Film Fleadh & Science Week Ireland later that year. Burkitt continued to screen across the UK & Ireland in Feb 2025 as part of a tour of cinemas, medical universities & Irish language centres before having its US Premiere as part of the Capital Irish Film Festival in Washington D.C. In Mar 2025 BURKITT opened the InScience Film Festival in the Netherlands before it was then selected the following month to screen in competition at the 60th Academia Film Olomouc – Europe’s leading Science Festival – where it won Best Debut Film.
