Saoirse
Nominated for
Best Short Documentary
Directed by
Marion Bergin
9' • Ireland • 2020
Language:
English
Dublin is a city in the midst of a property development boom and with the gentrification of the inner city, working-class horse culture is being marginalised. It’s something quite unique to the city and likely won’t exist in fifteen years. The media only ever shows a negative side of the culture as there have been many issues with welfare in the city since the mass over-breeding of the early nineties. This film takes a snapshot of some of the men who genuinely care about their horses as they struggle to keep the remnants of the culture alive.
Director's Bio: Educated with a BA in History of Art and Italian from Trinity College Dublin, Marion comes to film from a 15 year career in the fashion industry spanning buying, design and the launch of her London-based cult label Bitching and Junkfood. She spearheaded the creative vision of the label and catapulted growth to over 50 markets worldwide, having shown at London Fashion Week. Her designs have been worn by a whole host of performers including Rihanna, Rita Ora, Kelis and many more. Having reached the top of her career in fashion she moved into film in search of new challenges and creative diversity. Her award-winning work as an art director/production designer has received accolades such as Rolling Stone and Yahoo music videos of the year. Ambitous to mould her creative vision into narrative stoytelling she stepped over into directing with the aim of going deeper. Approaching projects with anthropological curiosity, she aspires to develop work that questions the status quo, examines the foundations of society and fosters new perspectives through shared human experience. She approaches films as she would a fashion collection, weaving her films with colourful production design, emotive edits and stories informed by past and present. She enjoys the journey of documentary, letting narratives unfold and become what they need to be rather than the linearity of a traditional arch. A trained yoga teacher and wellness/mental health advocate, she's fascinated by man's innate desire to connect with nature and how that manifests in urban and rural settings alike. She champions diversity in front of and behind the lense and actively works to make her crew inclusive. She thrives on collaborating internationally and recent projects have seen her manage remote creative teams between London, New York, Melbourne and Sri Lanka. Her work has been featured in countless magazines including Vogue, Vice, Elle US, Vogue, Dazed and Confused, and 10 Magazine.