It's been a long, cold lonely winter.  Searching for elusive funds for our 6th Guth Gafa Festival in the midst of Ireland's nightmare economic crash.  But it's finally coming together.  And the Guth Gafa team are pleased to announce that Guth Gafa 2011 will definitely go ahead.  Our dates are 10th to 14th June, and within the next two weeks we will have lots of exciting programme news, special events, celebrity guests for you when we launch our 2011 website.  In the meantime, this posting is a short update and some information on Irish and International Film Submissions.  So please come back in 2 weeks for our new website and lots of news.

The 5th Guth Gafa Film Festival closed on Sunday 13th June after a long weekend of sold-out, award-winning screenings, Q & As with directors, industry events with international panelists and experts, and lots of great food, wine and late night music and dancing in the Guth Gafa Festival cafe and club.

Guth Gafa offers attending documentary professionals to meet with representatives from two major European film sales companies this year. Peter Jäger from Autlook filmsales, Austria and Kimberley Anwen from Journeyman Pictures, UK are available for meetings on Sunday, 13th June from 11am onwards at the Loch Altan Hotel in Gortahork. Continue reading to find out more and how to register for a meeting. A limited number of places are still available!

If you really want to know what's going on in the world of documentary filmmaking, come to our Meet the Experts event on Saturday, 12th June at 2.30pm and meet international documentary experts John Appel (Filmmaker and Mentor, the Netherlands), Patricia Finneran (sundance documentary program, USA) and Peter Jäger (Autlook filmsales, Austria). They will offer you a unique insight into their areas of expertise. Join us and ask John, Patricia and Peter everything you always wanted to know about Creative Development, Financing and funding strategies and Sales and Promotion. Places are still available, continue reading to find out more and how to register for this free event.

Musical Fireworks are set to explode at the festival club this year with the sensational guitar driven quartet Túcan and sparky electro post-punk rockers Sounds of System Breakdown leading the live entertainment line up during a weekend of funky rhythms and groovy tunes. Beyond the festival club there will be social spaces for relaxation, conversation, and recreation, as part of a rich and varied programme of entertainment.

Ulster Scots on Film, is a celebration of Ulster Scots film and television programming and an opportunity to bring together the general public who have an interest in Ulster Scots language and attendant culture, with professionals from the industry who work in, or have an interest in, Ulster Scots programmes.

The Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program will be represented in this year’s Guth Gafa programme for film professionals.

Guth Gafa, in association with RTÉ Young Peoples Programmes, is proud to present a very special event on Sunday 13th at 11am - three screenings and a discussion forum entitled Through Kids Eyes, where 3 filmmakers will discuss how to make factual children’s programmes, with children, about children, and for children.

See all the films, meet all the directors! Guth Gafa are hosting an informal reception "Meet the Directors", where our festival guests will have the opportunity to meet the attending Irish and international filmmakers.

Ireland's 23rd Foyle Film Festival Announces Call For Entries For The Light In Motion (LIM) Film Awards on Tuesday 1 June 2010.

Win a pair of tickets or a Guth Gafa t-shirt in our final Festival competition for 2010.  Answer two questions about our Festival programme (all on our website), and you can win one of 10 pairs of tickets or one of 5 t-shirts that we are giving away for Guth Gafa 2010.

Alongside our official screenings will be a special family programme, with a selection of outstanding documentaries as well as art and music workshops for children – and a free Crèche.

Insights and intimate stories: Two German documentaries, Adrian's Dream and Autumn Gold, and an animation programme, Tricks for Kids from Berlin at Guth Gafa 2010.

The list of our 61 winners from the competition we ran in association with Donegal Live, and in other Donegal venues, has just been released.
Check it out now!

In addition to the regular screenings and discussions, Guth Gafa International Documentary Film Festival, in association with Bord Scannán Na hÉireann/The Irish Film Board and supported by other industry partners, is hosting a special programme for film professionals and students with panels, forums and a masterclass with acclaimed UK filmmaker Kim Longinotto.

Guth Gafa have finalised their programme for their 5th Festival which opens on Friday 11th June.  17 award-winning films from around the world are featured in the international programme, alongside 6 Irish features and 4 shorts, plus 2 international films aimed at a family audience, and a number of special side-bar events also feature international and Irish films, making a total of 32 long and short documentaries for Guth Gafa 2010

Once again Guth Gafa International Documentary Film Festival transforms the picturesque seaside village of Gortahork in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht into a film mecca for huge numbers of international and Irish film fans over three event-packed days from 11th to 13th June.

Guth Gafa are offering a special Early Bird Accreditation rate of only €25 (50% off) for industry delegates who sign up before Sunday 30th May.

Special Student Deals are now on offer for Guth Gafa 2010, with a Festival Pass, 2 nights accommodation and free shuttle buses for only €50.

The selection process for international films for Guth Gafa 2010 is now closed, but the Festival selection team are still accepting one hour and feature documentaries from Irish filmmakers until the end of April.

Guth Gafa have announced their dates for their 2010 Festival as June 11th to 13th, and outline their film submission policies for filmmmakers.

Guth Gafa International Documentary Film Festival have partnered with Soilsiú Films in Donegal and OnlineFilm AG in Germany in a new online distribution venture, to provide a great opportunity for Irish producers to distribute their films and get them more widely seen.

Guth Gafa has won one of the top awards at The Carlton Best of Festivals Awards today in Ballinasloe, County Galway

A big Thank You from the Guth Gafa team to all those people who supported the 2009 Festival, and roll on 2010.