Oscar-winning documentary film maker Michael Moore is in Dublin next week for a screening of his latest film Where to Invade Next and he will also be giving tips to budding film-makers here on how to emulate his success.
Despite its title, Moore's new documentary - his first in six years - isn't about American foreign policy but instead is a humorous exploration of how the United States can learn from other countries such as Finland (no homework for kids), Italy (eight weeks paid holidays), Slovenia (free third level education) and France (freshly cooked school dinners and forthright sex education).
As he says himself, "I will invade countries with names I can mostly pronounce, take the things we need from them and bring it all back home because we have problems no army could solve."
Named as one of the top 100 Most Influential People in the world by TIME Magazine and widely cited as one of the best documentary filmmakers of all time, the Irish Film and Television Academy has announced that he will participate in an Academy Discussion after the screening, taking place at the IFI cinema on Monday June 13.
Heading 2 UK & Ireland 4 premiere of my film! Hope Britain'll still be in Europe by time I land! I know they'll still be in Ireland. Hahaha.
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) June 8, 2016
There will also be a live Q&A with Moore via satellite on this Friday evening at the same cinema following an early evening screening of the movie.
Read TEN's review of Where to Invade Next
Some people are born with star-spangled eyes . . . not Moore
Bowling for Columbine, earned $58 million worldwide, an exceptional box office take for a documentary at the time, however his follow-up Fahrenheit 9/11, which explored America in the wake of the 9/11 attacks and delivered a scathing critique of George W. Bush's Presidency earned over $222 million worldwide.
It not only won the Palme D’Or at Cannes, it also became the highest grossing documentary film of all time.
Film-makers and other industry professionals here will be hoping that some of secrets of that success can be imparted when he hosts a masterclass in Dublin on Tuesday morning next week. Moore will be giving tips on the use of humour in documentary making, finance and his unique approach to making topical documentaries.
