Excellent news as a film containing the stories of many residents of the slowly dying St. Teresa’s Gardens estate (read more about it here) was premiered to great success at this year’s Jameson Film Festival. Below is the press release for this exciting new film.
‘Come into the Gardens;
Now you see us…Portraits of a disappearing community’
‘Come into the Gardens’ will be screened in the Lighthouse Cinema at the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival on Saturday 15th February 2014 at 7pm. Come into the Gardens will be opened by Minister for Housing and Planning Jan O’ Sullivan. This is a brave and groundbreaking film from tenants and residents in St Teresa’s Gardens, Dublin 8, signaling a first step for many into the world of visual arts and culture. Come into the Gardens respectfully tells individual stories from within the flats complex and offers a unique insight into the lived experiences of resident’s in the inner city flats complex.
In 2012, Maud Hendricks, artistic director of the film and neighbour to St. Teresa’s Gardens, became aware of the slow process of de-tenanting of her neighbouring estate. For twelve years Maud only passed by this social housing estate; a walled garden with just one way in and one way out. Maud, Kilian Waters of Shoottokill and the residents create film portraits in a larger than life way, against the background of the physical skeleton of this housing estate on the brink of demolition. The yearlong project culminated in the production of a theatrical piece in May 2013 and the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival film ‘Come into the Gardens’. Through the concept of gardening, the participants write visual and conceptual film treatments for the portraits with the residents.
Recognition for the film has come from President Michael D Higgins and former President Mary Robinson. President Higgins has invited a group of 50 cast and crew to Aras an Uactharáin to speak about the film. As President in the 1990’s, Mary Robinson visited St Teresa’s Gardens and has ‘special’ memories of the ‘strong sense of community…sense of place’ and was struck by the strength of community and solidarity among residents. Speaking about ‘Come into the Gardens’ Mary Robinson stated ‘This film will speak to the values and I hope will give a real sense of pride and achievement to the residents of St Teresa’s Gardens’.
Dr. Chris Fitzpatrick, chairperson for St Teresa’s Gardens Regeneration Board states:
This film is a phenomenal artistic achievement and demonstrates the versatility and ingenuity of the residents of St Teresa’s Gardens. There is now a real and momentous opportunity, as the country emerges from the bale out, to significantly expand the planned regeneration programme and to include the massive properties currently lying derelict adjacent to Teresa’s Gardens. We now invite both the state and private enterprise to share our vision of the future and to ‘Come into the Gardens’. In this area we can create a unique and sustainable model of urban regeneration that will drive the local, municipal and national economies.
The Regeneration Programme: Minister for Housing and planning, Jan O’Sullivan, stated that construction of 50 new units, a mix of houses and apartments, will be substantially complete by the end of 2016. In advance of this, demolition of remaining blocks will happen, focusing firstly on the Eugene Street side of the estate. Tenants will be re-housed either off-site (temporarily or permanently) or temporarily in two refurbished flat blocks on the opposite side of the complex.
ENDS – For further information contact:
Chris Fitzpatrick, Chairperson, St. Teresa’s Gardens Regeneration Board – 087-2437116
Eadaoin Ní Chléirigh, CEO, St. Michael’s Estate Regeneration Board – 087-1229795
Note: St Teresa’s Gardens Regeneration Board is made-up of residents, local councillors, Dublin city council, Gardaí and local stakeholders. The remit of the Board is to progress regeneration works in St Teresa’s Gardens to obtain the greatest possible community gain based on the needs and the wishes of the residents and community.
We at the Fountain wish the film every success and are hopeful to catch a screening ourselves!
