Press Release

Friday 18 June 2010

On the day that Israel announced a partial easing of its Gaza land blockade, the plight of the Gaza Strip’s inhabitants topped the bill at the ICCL Human Rights Film Awards.

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Kirsten Sheridan gave the rights watchdog’s top prize to Gaza: Post Operation Cast Lead, directed by Dearbhla Glynn.  This short documentary offers a unique insight into the day-to-day living conditions faced by the Gaza Strip's 1.5 million conflict-stricken inhabitants.

Awarding the prize at Dublin’s Light House Cinema yesterday evening (17 June 2010), Kirsten Sheridan said:

“Recent events have brought home the abject misery of the 1.5 million Palestinians forced to live behind the Gaza blockade, and shown the importance Irish people attach to bringing them relief. Dearbhla’s film is an impassioned snapshot of the daily lives of Gazans, and a powerful reminder of the need to end their ongoing suffering.”

Kirsten was joined by a star-studded Jury, including actress Victoria Smurfit, presidential hopeful Senator David Norris and Oscar-nominated animator Tomm Moore, for this exclusive screening of five outstanding films by the ICCL competition finalists at the Light House Cinema.

Victoria Smurfit awarded third place prize to independent filmmaker Daniel Bevan for Midnight With No Pain, a drama about dignity at the end of life, while Senator David Norris awarded runner-up prize to documentary-maker Cara Holmes for If You Like it Then You Should Be Able to Put a Ring on It, which charts the highs and lows of the campaign for same-sex civil marriage.

The films can be viewed at www.humanrightsfilmawards.org