Industry Sectors Documentary Directors - Screen Directors Guild of Ireland

Kevin Hughes

I am a filmmaker living and working from my home in Kilkenny Ireland. I have screen credits on over 25 films so I must be doing something right. Our next film is “The Glass Girl” a super natural thriller set in a house deep in the Irish country side and even deeper in the mind…

Ronan Tynan

Ronan Tynan co-founded Esperanza Productions with Anne Daly during the genocide in Rwanda, and their first documentary together was RWANDA, NO JUSTICE, NO FUTURE. A consistent interest in human rights has informed his output over the years, especially stories about people, often at great cost to themselves, seeking to stand up for others. DROPPING THE…

Colm Bairéad

Colm Bairéad is a TV and film director, whose body of work displays a strong commitment to the Irish language. He has directed a number of multiple award-winning short films including Mac an Athar (His Father’s Son), Finscéal Pháidí (Páidí’s Tale) and An tÁdh (Luck) and directed many hours of documentary television for TG4, including…

Teresa Lavina

Teresa Lavina is a Spanish filmmaker based in Galway, Ireland. Her work focuses on themes of human rights and social justice with a particular focus on under-represented groups such as the travelling community, victims of child abuse and people with disabilities. Her work has been screened both in Ireland- her latest film ‘Untold Secrets’ closed…

Sara Creta

Sara Creta is an award-winning documentary filmmaker based in Dublin. She has spent the last decade bearing witness to the world’s most urgent humanitarian and human rights crises. Traveling to the most remote corners, she has captured through her lens not only war and injustice but also humanity, dignity, and resilience. Her recent bodies of…

Mary Brophy

Mary Brophy is a documentary filmmaker, producer and broadcaster with IWR Media who makes artful documentaries defined by characterful storytelling. Over the past two decades, Mary has produced and directed numerous short documentaries and series for television [Stradbally Hall Days RTÉ, Scread Asail TG4, ICA TG4]. In 2004, she directed the biography of political activist…

Judy Kelly

Judy Kelly is an Irish documentary maker with two decades of experience directing highly impactful documentaries in the UK and Ireland. She made Keelin Shanley, Faraway: Still Close with Keelin’s husband Conor Ferguson and filmed and directed The Crossing, the 2016 documentary following the Irish Navy’s work rescuing migrants in the central Mediterranean. It received Special Commendation…

Irina Maldea

Irina Maldea (Ireland/Romania) – film director, editor. Her works spans a variety of roles and genres. Irina worked as a film editor in the Romanian national film studios. In Ireland, she continued to edit drama and documentary and began directing documentaries for broadcast and cinematic distribution, working with the Irish language TV station TG4, the…

Neal Boyle

Director NEAL BOYLE is a documentary filmmaker and DOP. Over the past two decades he has shot and directed TV feature documentary and series around the world for TG4, RTÉ and BBC Northern Ireland. Some of Neal’s recent Director credits include Celtic Torc nominated Son of Kerry, Son of Sam about the Kerry NYPD cop…

Charlo Johnson

Charlo is an Irish filmmaker and has directed a number of short films and documentaries incuding Positive Discrimination, Gone Viral and Sober Minds.

Donal Foreman

An alumnus of the Irish National Film School and the Berlinale Talent Campus, Donal has been making films since he was 11, and won the title of Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year at the Fresh Film Festival in 2003 at the ripe old age of 17. Film Ireland called one of his early shorts…

Emer Reynolds

Director Emer Reynolds is an Emmy nominated multi-award winning documentary director and feature film editor, based in Dublin, Ireland. THE FARTHEST, her feature documentary on the trail-blazing Voyager spacecraft, described by Screen Daily as “ cathartic and moving .. the right film at the right time”, made its debut at the Audi Dublin International Film…

Frank Berry

Frank Berry is a Dublin-born director whose work began with ten years of community filmmaking and television. This work led to his critically acclaimed feature documentary Ballymun Lullaby (2011), winner of the DGA Directors Finders Award, which received a cinema release in Ireland and continues to screen at film festivals around the world. His next…

Garret Daly

Garret Daly is an award winning director/producer. In 2001 he established the film and television company Mixed Bag Media. His extensive documentary and television career includes the award winning film ‘Who is Dervla Murphy?’ which focused on the unique Irish travel writer. Released in Irish cinemas in 2016 the filmhas also screened internationally at numerous…

Hannah Quinn

Hannah Quinn is a film & tv director who recently won the IFTA Director Drama award 2022 for Vikings:Valhalla. Hannah is currently on post production of family crime thriller North Sea Connection (RTE) and this summer she’ll direct season 3 of Vikings:Valhalla. Previously directed 2nd Unit of Disenchanted (Disney), Vikings:Valhalla (S1) for Netflix/MGM, Fate – The Winx…

Jason Branagan

Jason is a writer and director based in Dublin. His work to date includes the indie-feature, SHOEBOX MEMORIES (2016), Crypt TV’s MR. ECKLES (2018) which has over 600,000 views across their channels and episodes of the 30th season of Ireland’s longest running TV Drama, FAIR CITY. His films have screened at festivals around the world…

Keith O’Grady

Keith O’Grady was born in Derry in the North of Ireland. He graduated with a BA degree in Media & Cultural Studies from the University of East Anglia, and then trained as an actor in Dublin, and got work in theatre and film. He then did a Masters Degree in film production from the University…

Kim Bartley

I like to make intimate and thought provoking documentaries. My focus is on developing open and trusting relationships with those I film and finding ways to translate their emotions and their stories into compelling, creative films with grit and heart. I’ve spent a large chunk of my working life on the road. I shot my…

Ross Whitaker

Ross Whitaker is a documentary filmmaker. He has developed, produced and directed a number of successful independent documentaries. His debut feature ‘Saviours’ was released in Irish cinemas in 2008 to critical acclaim. The Irish Times wrote, “Saviours packs as much of a punch as Champ, Raging Bull and all the Rocky films put together,” and…

Ruth Meehan

Ruth Meehan is a writer and director who has been producing award-winning work for both film and television in Ireland and Britain since 1998. She is a graduate of both Dublin City University (BA honors in Communications) and of the NFTS in Beaconsfield, UK (MA in Screenwriting) where her short film ‘Numb’ received a special…

Seán Ó Cualáin

Seán Ó Cualáin’s first documentary, ‘Mé Féin’s Mo Mhéit’ (2002), based on two former boat racing champions, was acclaimed at the time as being the definitive TG4 documentary; understated, confident and visual storytelling. He has directed for TG4 and RTÉ, with his strengths being his commitment to the highest quality in storytelling and also the…

Pat Collins

Since 1999 PAT COLLINS has made over 30 films. His latest feature documentary Henry Glassie: Fieldwork premiered at TIFF in 2019 and is due to be released in Autumn 2020. His feature film ‘Song of Granite’, funded by the Irish Film Board, BAI, SODEC and Telefilm Canada, was based on the life of the traditional Irish singer Joe Heaney.…

Paula Kehoe

Paula Kehoe is an award-winning filmmaker whose work in documentary is informed by an interest in social justice, the environment, language and culture. Her passion is creative documentary because of the myriad possibilities for telling stories in ways that stretch the boundaries of form and genre. ‘An Dubh in Gheal: Assimilation’ featuring Louis de Paor,…

Neasa Ni Chianain

Neasa Ní Chianáín, trained at the National College of Art & Design in Dublin, and worked as a freelance Art Director on Irish feature film and television projects, before switching to docs in 2001. She has directed 9 single docs (5 of which are feature length) and one tv series. The docs include ‘Frank Ned…

Ruán Magan

Ruán Magan is an award-winning writer and filmmaker. Recent documentary credits include the Emmy-winning series, ‘The Men Who America’, ‘The Ghosts of Duffy’s Cut’, ‘On God’s Mission’, ‘Death or Canada’, ‘My Father’s War’ and multi-award winner, ‘The Radharc Squad’. His short film, ‘Angel’, has been awarded 7 International Awards and 19 Official Selections.

Shane Hogan

Shane Hogan directed countless segments of Fashion Television for over a decade. Shane also worked for Entertainment Tonight at Cannes Film Festival, World Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, Laureus Sports Awards and Tennis Channel during the French Open at Roland Garros. Together with Tom Burke, Shane was Co-Director of ‘The Liberties’ that screened at…

Maya Derrington

Maya Derrington is a director and producer who has worked in television and film since 1999. She graduated from Goldsmiths College, University of London in 1994 and worked at Bloomsbury Publishing until she moved to Dublin in 1997. Maya co-founded Still Films in 2006 and in 2010 she was nominated for an IFTA for her…

Pamela Drynan

Pamela Drynan lives in Dublin, Ireland and is originally from Scotland. She was lucky to produce two films, ‘Chancers’ and ‘Gutted’, that won two Scottish BAFTAs. Pamela worked with director Paul McGuigan on his feature documentary called ‘Little Angels’ and produced the award-winning series ‘Surgeons in Ireland’. Pamela comes from a theatrical background and enjoys…

Maurice Sweeney

Maurice Sweeney is an award winning director as comfortable producing full scale drama as he is in documentary where he has pushed the boundaries of the drama doc genre. He has a number of large scale credits where he has developed a proven eye and ear for story and emotion. His most recent work includes Lead…

Maurice Linnane

Maurice has been working in film and television since leaving college. After several years as an editor he made his debut as the director of an MTV Rockumentary on U2, at the beginning of the band’s Zoo TV world tour. As a result Maurice spent two years on the road, ending up as the Artistic…

Martin Dwan

Martin is a graduate of University College Dublin with a BA in Economics and Politics and an MA in Film Studies. He has worked in the Irish television industry for two decades; producing, directing, scripting and editing a number of critically acclaimed documentaries. His latest production is ‘The Great Guide to the Future’, a six-part…

Martina Durac

I have been a filmmaker for over 20 years. I have made many documentary films during this time on a huge variety of subjects. I have a particular interest in art and community and how people organize themselves in groups and have looked at this in many of my projects, whether through exploring coastal communities,…

Malin Andersson

Documentary film director and photographer Malin Andersson lives in Ireland and Sweden and works internationally as well as nationally, pitching and filming/directing her own creative documentaries collaborating with international documentary producers. She works through her company Solas Productions in Newry as well as her Swedish company Malin Andersson Film, based in Malmo. A member of…

Zahara Moufid

Zahara a Film Director, Producer, Actress and Scriptwriter, known for, ‘Pappy’ (2019), ‘Shelter Me’ (2018), ‘Inside Apollo House’ (2017) ,‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ (2002), ‘11th Hour’ (2017) and ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2005). Zahara Moufid grew up in Morocco speaking Arabic and French. She first discovered her love of storytelling with her grandmother,…

Steve Woods

Steve works in animation, documentaries and dance films. In 1989 he helped set up the Galway Film Fleadh. He lectures at the National Film School at Dun Laoghaire, where he teaches experimental animation. He also occasionally writes and talks on film and animation and curates for film festivals. Steve’s company is Cel’ Division. He specialises…

Sinéad Walsh

Visionary, versatile & inventive director who works in both drama and documentary formats. In the 1990’s I made short films & visual poetry whilst undergraduate at Trinity College Dublin, followed by engagement in RTÉ & Screen Ireland Director training programme. I apprenticed as Director under Louis Lentin after being awarded Arts Council funding for short…

Mia Mullarkey

Mia Mullarkey is an award-winning film director based in Dublin, Ireland. She directs drama, documentary and commercials. Mia worked as a behavioural psychologist before moving over to filmmaking. Since then she has directed several successful short films, receiving over 60 awards and nominations globally, and screening at international short film festivals such as Palm Springs,…

Loic Jourdain

After working for many years in Paris as assistant-director and assistant-producer, Loïc Jourdain began making his own films in 1997 with the prestigious Marin Karmitz’s MK2 company in Paris. Loïc Jourdain was born in France in 1971. After working for many years in Paris as assistant-director and assistant-producer, Loïc Jourdain began making his own films…

Leticia Agudo

Leticia started her career as a theatre director in Ireland. She now focuses on writing and directing live-action. The malleability of identity, especially national and cultural, and the tragicomedy of human interaction is where is at for her. Leticia’s life and career have taken her from Spain to Ireland and from theatre to film. First…

Ken Wardrop

Ken studied filmmaking at the National Film School, IADT. His short films have screened at many of the worlds most prestigious festivals including Sundance and Cannes. He has presented retrospective programmes at the Cork International Film Festival, and at festivals in the UK, Croatia, The Netherlands and in Scandinavia. In 2008, his work received the…

Frankie Fenton

Frankie is an award winning Irish film director/producer specialising in documentary to do with pressing social matters. He is a graduate of Dublin City University with an MA in Film and Television Studies. Frankie worked in post production in London for nine years before picking up the camera and coming back to Ireland for his…

Finn van Gelderen

Finn van Gelderen is a Documentary Director, Director of Photography and Photographer. He is based in Dublin. He has worked on drama, documentaries , commercials, music videos and nature television over the last 30 years. He also teaches recovery in mental health and advocates nationally for both cinematography and mental health. He was the Programme…

Dave Thomas

Dave Thomas works as a Director, Producer (Film & Radio), Presenter, Journalist, Screenplay Writer. Often working for Ireland’s biggest media companies. Often working for Ireland’s biggest media companies—RTE Radio & TV, Newstalk 106-108FM Radio, The Irish Times, Sunday Times, Irish Independent, RTE Guide, Circa Magazine, Irish Stage and Screen magazine and many more. He developed…

Alan Bradley

Alan Bradley is an Irish director working primarily in documentary as well as commercials and television drama. Alan is the youngest director to hold a prime time RTÉ One documentary slot. In 2020, Alan directed and produced hit RTÉ One documentary ‘Seán’, exploring the life of the legendary GAA manager Seán Boylan. The film received…

Adrian McCarthy

Adrian McCarthy has been directing and producing documentaries for over twenty years. He is the owner of Curious Dog Films which was established in late 2019 and was previously the co-owner of Wildfire Films. Raised in West Cork and living in Dublin, Adrian has made over fifty hours of docs across a broad range of…

Shimmy Marcus

Shimmy Marcus is a multi award winning filmmaker working across a variety of formats and genres. In 1999 he won the Miramax Script Writing Award for his feature script ‘Headrush’ which he also directed. The film won a variety of International awards including Best Feature at festivals in Michigan,New York, and the Braunschweig Film Festival…

Karolina Kraus

Karolina is an award winning director and writer. Her shorts and documentary have screened worldwide. Karolina graduated from TV and Media Production at Carlow IT in 2013 as well as Carlow College of Music in 2012. She is a trained pianist and an original score composer. She has also worked as a Production Manager and…

Louise Ní Fhiannachta

Born in the Rebel County, raised in The Kingdom and now living wherever the work is, Louise was always destined to have an identity crisis, a theme that’s been strongly threaded through her work. Louise most recently received funding from Screen Ireland’s Director Conceptual Development Fund to develop her feature ‘Skinfull’—a blackly comic and visceral…

Trish McAdam

My films have a socio-political perspective, for big and small screens, in big and small places across feature and short, fiction, documentary and animation. Award winning filmmaker with fiction and documentary, feature, short and art installation screenings across the world—In Dublin, Cork, Galway, London, New York, York, Washington, Sundance, San Sebastian, Toronto, Hof, Seoul (Special…

A.W. Stevenson

I wrote and directed my debut short film ‘Not with a Bang But a Whimper’ in 2014, while studying for a Masters. The film played at the Fastnet Film Festival and the experience caused me to change my career path towards professional filmmaking. My second independent short film ‘Man to Man’ premiered at the Galway…

Charlie McCarthy

Charlie McCarthy began his directing career in RTE where he directed a wide range of programmes from Glenroe to Nighthawks. Since going freelance he has directed both documentary and drama. The former has included much-praised portraits of writers Seamus Heaney, John Banville, Edna O’Brien, Hugh Leonard and Colum McCann; the latter has included dramas such…