Paul Muldoon: Laoithe‘s Liricí/A Life in Lyrics to premiere at Cork International Film Festival
Date Posted: November 18, 2022
Paul Muldoon is a global great of contemporary culture. In this new bi-lingual feature documentary from Belfast-based production company Below The Radar TV, directed by acclaimed director Alan Gilsenan and produced by Stephen Douds, the poet explores life and language in a series of musical collaborations with a stellar array of artists including Paul Simon, Liam Neeson, PJ Harvey, Bono, Ruth Negga, Paul Brady, and Iarla Ó Lionáird. Paul Muldoon: Laoithe’s Liricí airs on TG4 on Wednesday 28th January at 9:20pm.
The feature-length documentary funded by Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund, TG4, BBC Gaeilge and BAI’s Sound and Vision scheme receives its premier at the Cork International Film Festival this weekend and then plays at the London Irish Film Festival before being broadcast on both TG4 and BBC NI.
For the Armagh-born, Pulitzer prize-winner music matters almost as much as poetry, Muldoon sees little difference between a poem and song lyrics: key moments in his creative life, which began with him writing poems in Irish as a schoolboy, are explored by many of the musicians Paul has worked with – in words specially written by him. The unique and innovative format of this film reflects the allusive and playful poetry of Paul Muldoon who narrates this film. Paul’s personal and professional life on both sides of the Atlantic over the course of his working life which began as a radio producer with BBC in Belfast and culminated with his Chair of Poetry in Princeton University, is reflected in the range of musician friends and acquaintances who participate in the telling of Muldoon’s life.
The poet himself said; “When the idea of a documentary about my life was first raised, I was concerned that it would follow the conventional pattern of a core interview intercut with lots of staring into the distance and sage and seasoned critical comments from the great and the good. Boresville, in other words. So I was thrilled when Alan Gilsenan fell in with my vision of a film that would have a much less predictable aspect. Thrilled, too, that Below the Radar along with BBC and TG4 were so enthusiastic in their support of our determination to do something out of the ordinary.”
Director Alan Gilsenan said; “It was a great delight to go on a strange, musical odyssey with Paul Muldoon through his life and his ceaseless imagination – and to capture his collaborations with so many remarkable artists and friends. I’m left with a host of wonderful memories and encounters which I hope have been documented in this film.”
Máire Bhreathnach, Executive Producer for Below the Radar said; “We were delighted to get this film funded through the AMHARC scheme, an initiative supporting the production of landmark creative films on the Arts focusing on NI Artists and it was our aim from the outset to do something distinctive with this film and explore Paul Muldoon’s relationship with the language is a new and innovative way.”
An chéad taispeántas de Paul Muldoon: Laoithe’s Liricí/A Life in Lyrics ag Féile Scannáin Idirnáisiúnta Chorcaigh
Is duine de mhórphearsana an chultúir chomhaimseartha é Paul Muldoon agus san fhadscannán faisnéise dátheangach nua seo atá á léiriú ag an chomhlacht Feirsteach Below The Radar TV agus á stiúradh ag an stiúrthóir cáiliúil Alan Gilsenan agus a léiriú ag Stephen Douds, tá an saol agus an teanga faoi chaibidil ag an fhile thar shraith de chomhshaothair a rinneadh i gcomhar le sár-réimse ealaíontóirí, Paul Simon, Liam Neeson, PJ Harvey, Bono, Ruth Negga, Paul Brady, agus Iarla Ó Lionáird ina measc.
An Ciste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge de chuid Scáileán Thuaisceart Éireann, TG4, BBC Gaeilge agus scéim Fuaim & Fís BAI a mhaoinigh an fadscannán fáisnéise agus beidh sé á chraoladh den chéad uair ag Féile Scannán Idirnáisiúnta Chorcaí agus ina dhiaidh sin ag Féile Scannán Éireannach Londan. Beidh sé le craoladh ar an teilifís ansin ar TG4 agus ar BBC Gaeilge.
I dtaca le Muldoon de, a rugadh in Ard Mhacha agus a bhain an duais Pulitzer, tá an ceol beagnach chomh tábhachtach céanna leis an fhilíocht. Creideann sé gur beag ar fad atá idir dán agus liricí amhráin. Na heachtraí tábhachtacha ina shaol cruthaitheach, ón uair a thosaigh sé a chumadh dánta as Gaeilge agus é ina bhuachaill scoile, sin a bheidh á phlé ag cuid mhaith de na ceoltóirí ar oibrigh Paul leo – i bhfocail a chum sé féin go speisialta. An leagan amach uathúil nuálach atá ag an scannán Gaeilge seo, is léiriú ann féin é ar chuid filíochta Paul Muldoon, filíocht aigeanta atá lán de thagairtí agus is é Paul féin a dhéanann an reacaireacht ar an chlár.
Tá tréimhsí caite ag Paul ar dhá thaobh an Atlantaigh in imeacht a shaoil phearsanta agus ghairmiúil. Thosaigh sé amach ag obair mar léiritheoir raidió leis an BBC i mBéal Feirste agus ba é buaic a shaoil ghairmiúil é nuair a ceapadh in ollúnacht na Filíochta in Ollscoil Princeton é. Tá a shliocht sin ar a mhéad dá chuid cairde ceoil agus de lucht a aitheantais a ghlac páirt sa chlár chun saol Muldoon a insint.
Dúirt an file é féin; “When the idea of a documentary about my life was first raised, I was concerned that it would follow the conventional pattern of a core interview intercut with lots of staring into the distance and sage and seasoned critical comments from the great and the good. Boresville, in other words. So I was thrilled when Alan Gilsenan fell in with my vision of a film that would have a much less predictable aspect. Thrilled, too, that Below the Radar along with BBC and TG4 were so enthusiastic in their support of our determination to do something out of the ordinary.”
Arsa stiúrthóir an scannáin, Alan Gilsenan; “It was a great delight to go on a strange, musical odyssey with Paul Muldoon through his life and his ceaseless imagination – and to capture his collaborations with so many remarkable artists and friends. I’m left with a host of wonderful memories and encounters which I hope have been documented in this film.“
Dúirt léiritheoir feidhmiúcháin Below the Radar TV, Máire Bhreathnach; “‘Bhí muid an-sásta go deo maoiniú a fháil leis an scannán seo a dhéanamh fríd an scéim AMHARC, scéim iontach a thacaionn le mór léirithe scannáin fhaisnéise ar shaol agus déantús na n-ealaíon i dTuaisceart na hÉireann nó ar ealaíontóirí gurbh as Tuaisceart na hÉireann iad agus bhí sé mar sprioc againn ón tús scannán cruthaitheach, nuálach a dhéanamh ar Phaul Muldoon agus ar an chaidreamh atá aige leis an teanga ar bhealach úr nua.“
