Mairéad McClean wins Nice Short Film Festival Prize for VRTI-inspired short, Acts of Memory

Mairéad McClean, former Decade of Centenaries Artist-in-Residence at the VRTI and The Trinity Long Room Hub, was recently awarded the Prix Expérience (Best Experimental Film) at the Nice European Short Film Festival, Un Festival C’est Trop Court! for her film, “Act of Memory,” which was inspired by the VRTI.

Here is a summary of the film from Mairéad’s website: Presented in three acts, filmmaker Mairéad McClean conjures scenes from over a century ago between a worker and a researcher as they go about their daily tasks in the Public Record Office in Dublin. The film draws attention to the gestures of the actors, prompting a deeper reflection on the nature of memory while also questioning how archive material is preserved and how stories are told and reinterpreted over time. McClean weaves scenes from her own film history into this new work, subtly referencing her autobiographical films, drawing connections to key motifs in the depicted public history of Ireland.

This special 25th anniversary of the annual festival showcased unique, innovative and diverse works that demonstrate the creativity and originality offered by short films.

Congratulations Mairéad!  You can read more about her film here.