With funding support from Trocáire and Concern, the 8^th UCDVO Development Film Series will take place over five consecutive Monday evenings. The series includes 5 high quality feature documentary films on subjects relating to development and global justice issues. Each screening will be followed by a guest speaker with an opportunity for discussion.

Gaza – (Monday 27^th January) Gaza brings us into a unique place beyond the reach of television news reports to reveal a world rich with eloquent and resilient characters, offering us a cinematic and enriching portrait of a people attempting to lead meaningful lives against the rubble of perennial conflict. This elegantly shot and masterfully crafted portrait of Palestinian life offers a rare chance to be immersed in the heart of Gaza, as we glimpse behind the walls of this misunderstood land to get to know the real people who inhabit it.

Official Selection Sundance 2019.
Official Selection Hot Docs 2019.
Dublin International Film Festival, Critics Circle Best Documentary Winner 2019.

Push – (Monday 3^rd February) Push is a new documentary from award-winning director Fredrik Gertten, investigating why we can't afford to live in our own cities anymore. Housing is a fundamental human right, a precondition to a safe and healthy life. But in cities all around the world, having a place to live is becoming more and more difficult. Who are the players and what are the factors that make housing one of today's most pressing world issues?

Sheffield Doc Festival 2019 UK Premiere.
Official Selection Hot Docs 2019.
Irish Film Institute’s Documentary Film Festival 2019 Irish Premiere.

For Sama – (Monday 10^th February) For Sama is both an intimate and epic journey into the female experience of war. A love letter from a young mother to her daughter, the film tells the story of Waad al-Kateab's life through five years of the uprising in Aleppo, Syria as she falls in love, gets married and gives birth to Sama, all while cataclysmic conflict rises around her. Her camera captures incredible stories of loss, laughter and survival as Waad wrestles with an impossible choice – whether or not to flee the city to protect her daughter's life, when leaving means abandoning the struggle for freedom for which she has already sacrificed so much. The film is the first feature documentary by Emmy award-winning filmmakers, Waad al-Kateab and Edward Watts.

Cannes Film Festival 2019 Best Documentary Award.
Dublin International Film Festival 2019 Best Documentary and Human Rights Award.
SXSW 2019 Film Festival Audience Award.

The Biggest Little Farm – (Monday 17^th February) The Biggest Little Farm chronicles the eight-year quest of John and Molly Chester as they trade city living for 200 acres of barren farmland and a dream to harvest in harmony with nature. Through dogged perseverance and embracing the opportunity provided by nature's conflicts, the Chester's unlock and uncover a biodiverse design for living that exists far beyond their farm, its seasons, and our wildest imagination.

Sedona Film Festival 2019 – Director's Choice Award for Best Documentary.
Gasparilla Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature Documentary.
Palm Springs International Film Festival – Audience Award for Best Documentary.

Youth Unstoppable – (Monday 24^th February) Youth Unstoppable takes us inside the rise of the Global Youth Climate Movement. Slater Jewell-Kemker was 15 when she began documenting the untold stories of youth on the front lines of climate change refusing to let their futures slip away. Over the course of 12 years and set against stunning visuals of a planet in crisis, Youth Unstoppable follows the evolution of a diverse network of youth rising up to shape the world they will live in.

Riviera International Film Festival 2019 Nominated Best Documentary.
Telluride Mountainfilm Festival 2019 Winner Student Choice Award.
Planet in Focus Film Festival 2018, Best Canadian Feature.

UCDVO Development Film Series is free of charge and all are welcome. Seat bookings must be made in advance of each screening by emailing: [email protected].