The Midas Touch

I have reported elsewhere on the making and screening of the incredible documentary Lorg na gcos: Súil Siar ar Mise Éire from Midas Productions.

The film looked back on the making and success of the original Mise Éire on the fiftieth anniversary of the launch of that film. It was also a tribute to George Morrison who made Mise Éire and the Midas team were very lucky that he was still around and willing to take part in this retrospective. The result was stunning.

After its broadcast on TG4 (28/12/12) the film was entered for a number of awards. By far the most pestigious of these, from an international point of view, was the International FOCAL Awards, the finals of which took place in London last week.

The film won the award in its category Best Use of Footage in an Arts Production The photo above shows Cleona and Colm proudly accepting the award.

The film is also entered for the Gradam Cumarsáide in this year's Oireachtas, and we will then see if the home adjudicators are as discerning as those at the heart of our former empire.

I have to declare an interest here, before someone else does it for me. I have a bit part in the film. But it wasn't that which moved me to tears at the screening. My own small involvement with the making of the film only served to impress me with the creativity and professionalism of the team and of the fantastic use they made of what material was available to them.

This, I'm sure, more than anything else is what carried the day for them at the FOCAL awards.