August and November 2022
[L-R] Sujana Crawford, John Bernard, Dean Browne and Victoria Kennefick
with photos and reviews from Cork and Coventry poets
In August 2022 Ó Bhéal and Here Comes Everyone resumed our in-person twin cities exchange. Sujana Crawford and John Bernard were invited to Cork for readings at Ó Bhéal and DeBarra’s Spoken Word, along with a visit to the Lord Mayor’s chambers, while Dean Browne and Victoria Kennefick represented Cork for a reciprocal visit and were hosted for two readings in Coventry during early November, also with a visit to the Lord Mayor, hosted by Ó Bhéal’s partner Here Comes Everyone / Fire & Dust. Reviews, images and links from each poet follow.
27th November 2022
We are delighted to announce that Jelle Meys from Belgium, with his beautiful film La luna asoma (The moon appears) is Ó Bhéal’s 10th poetry-film competition winner, as announced at the 10th Winter Warmer Poetry Festival awards ceremony.
Jelle’s film was chosen from 173 submissions received from 100 filmmakers in 33 countries. The 2022 shortlist represents 17 countries: Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, Germany, Ireland, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Philippines, Portugal, South Africa, The Netherlands, Ukraine, UK, USA, Wales and Zimbabwe. You can view the complete shortlist and screenings here. We’re very grateful to all the poets and filmmakers who submitted this year.
La luna asoma
(The moon appears)
(6:10)
Poem: La luna asoma (The moon appears)
by Federico García Lorca
Synopsis – An animated interpretation of the mysterious poem ‘La luna asoma’ by the Spanish poet Federico García Lorca.
Director: Jelle Meys (Belgium)
Jelle Meys (°1986) is a freelance illustrator and graphic designer, as well as a visual arts teacher, working and living in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium. He got his degree of ‘Master in visual arts: graphic design and illustration’ in 2009 at School of arts Ghent, in 2010 he also got his teacher’s degree there. In 2017 he started taking the film and animation course at the art academy in his home town Sint-Niklaas. Since finishing his work on ‘La luna asoma’, he started working on a new ambitious animation project under the work title of ‘Sally’, a comical story about a man and his unique relationship with a cactus.
“Having tried my hand at animation myself, I know the work the work that goes into something like this.The guitar music and soundscape, like the perfectly timed crunch of an apple being bitten, weld it together. The film moves and grows as if a secret is unfolding before us. Its made all the more amazing when you read the credits and realise how few people Jelle needed help from in completing the project. It’s a worthy winner.”
“A gorgeous film. Image, music, voice and poem, gloriously wed.”
Ó Bhéal’s 10th Winter Warmer (and 2nd hybrid) festival presented over 30 poets from seven countries. Most of the featured guests appeared in-person at Nano Nagle Place, while others appeared virtually.
For the second time the festival hosted two poetry workshops, along with song from the brilliant Fiona Kelleher, a reading and round table discussion centered on relationships between Human & Non-Human Life in Port Cities Poetry, and a Closed-Mic set for poets who have featured in Ó Bhéal’s regular open-mic sessions during 2022.
The shortlist and prize-giving for Ó Bhéal’s International Poetry-Film Competition were also screened, as was an additional, special selection of poetry-films made in Ireland.
This year’s Winter Warmer also hosted the 2022 All-Ireland Poetry Slam Championship Final, featuring 12 poets (three from each province) who competed over three rounds. Our congratulations to the new All-Ireland Slam Champion Leon Dunne, as well as to runners up Helen Hastings and Jim Crickard.
The Arts Council of Ireland, Cork City Council, Foras na Gaeilge,
Poetry and Politics II @ University of Vigo, Dunnes Stores, Forum
Publications, Colmcille, Arc Publications, Cork City Libraries, Poetry Ireland,
Paradiso, The Long Valley and the UCC School of English and Digital Humanities.
