Making the Grade invites us into the world of the piano lesson. Every year teachers and students throughout Ireland prepare for graded musical exams. These exams can be pleasing for some but daunting for others. Each student has their own particular goal but reaching Grade Eight is considered a pinnacle. This endearing and uplifting documentary explores the bond between piano teachers and their pupils as they struggle through these grades. This is a story of the trans-formative power of music and the pride and happiness it provides both the students and teachers. It may inspire us all to keep making the grade.
17 year old Candice longs to escape her seaside town and finds solace in her imagination. When her disillusionment calcifies into an obsession with a troubled stranger, she becomes entangled with a dangerous local gang.
Follows Irish champion boxer Katie Taylor as she tries to rekindle her career after a year of setbacks.
It's late November in a quiet little Irish town, and the expectations of the impending festive season are growing. Christmas trees are being bought, festive music turned up and presents scrambled for. It's all getting very bright and loud, excessive and expensive. So this is Christmas takes us on a heartening and emotional journey with five ordinary characters as they navigate personal dilemmas triggered by this overwhelming time of year. Amid their everyday lives and struggles, we discover stories of extraordinary resilience and humble bravery. The story is brought to life in a creative documentary form, where characters' lives interweave with a colourful tapestry of Christmas scenes. Beyond the façade of tinsel and celebration, the film explores the deeper complexities that emerge when expectations collide with reality. What transpires is an important social commentary, filled with humour yet tinged with tragedy that will leave audiences questioning the true meaning of Christmas.