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Audio Archives 2007-2025: Guest Poet & Open-Mic mp3s Video Archives 2007-2025: YouTube (1,200+) & Vimeo (120+) Website HERE or Email HERE or Facebook HERE or Instagram HERE. Ó Bhéal go Béal is retaining Ó Bhéal’s event format: Poetry Films, Five Word Challenge, Guest Poets & Open-Mic. When: 2nd Monday Monthly 8.30pm (Poetry Films 7.30pm) Where: Hayloft Bar (Long Valley Bar), Winthrop St, Cork. Wordshops: Creative Writing at Ó Bhéal and Beyond … Ó Bhéal – a poem by Anamaría Crowe Serrano |
*** Clósed *** 12th Five Words Poetry Competition *** Clósed ***
Congratulations to winner Lucie Pereira! >>>>>>
2nd November 2025
We are thrilled to announce that filmmaker Abdullah Harun Ilhan from Palestine/Turkiye, with his superb poetry film Free Words – A Poet from Gaza, has won Ó Bhéal’s 13th poetry-film competition, as announced at the Ó Bhéal Poetry Film Festival awards ceremony.
Free Words – A Poet from Gaza was chosen from 176 submissions received from 140 filmmakers in 41 countries. The 2025 shortlist represents 18 countries: Australia, Belgium, China, Dubai, Estonia, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Mexico, Northern Ireland, Palestine, Spain, Taiwan, The Netherlands, Turkey, UK, Ukraine and the USA.
Poems: What is Home? / We Love What We Have
Synopsis – “Free Words: A Poet from Gaza” is a documentary-poetryfilm that explores the life and artistry of Mosab Abu Toha, a gifted poet whose voice resonates from the heart of Gaza. The film delves into Mosab’s journey as he navigates the complexities of living in oppression and occupation. Detained by the Israeli military, Mosab’s imprisonment sparked an outcry from the international literary community, highlighting the profound impact of his work and the power of poetry as a tool.
Director: Abdullah Harun Ilhan (Palestine/Turkiye)
Abdullah Harun İlhan was born in Malatya, Türkiye. His interest in visual arts began at an early age. This interest led him to shoot his first short film at the age of eleven. More than one hundred short films and documentaries he made were shown at international film festivals and were awarded several awards. Ilhan graduated from various universities and film schools from the USA, UK, Türkiye, South Korea and Qatar. He has contributed to film and photography projects in around 70 countries. He continues his work in Turkish, English and Arabic languages.
“A new phrase has entered my lexicon since this year’s Ó Bhéal Poetry Film Competition – Documentary Poetry Film – It’s where a film can have elements of poetry and elements of short documentary combined. As a poetry film maker, myself, I am excited to make one of these, and I already have a Gold Standard to aspire to. That’s the wonderful – Free Words – A Poet from Gaza – overall winner this year. In it Director Abdullah Harun Ilhan interweaves the deeply moving poetry of Mosab Abu Toha with his skill as a documentary maker to create an important piece of film art. I can’t wait to read more of Abu’s poems and watch more of Abdullah’s films.”
“I was spellbound by the combined power of Abdullah’s film and Mosab’s poems. Ten riveting minutes that passed in the blink of an eye. Sublime storytelling. Superlative filmmaking.”
