Civic Life: Leisure Centre
LEISURE CENTRE is part of Joe Lawlor and Christine Molloy’s series of groundbreaking community engagement film projects, CIVIC LIFE.
Filmed in September 2005 in the new, only partly opened, leisure centre situated on Main Street Ballymun LEISURE CENTRE follows a young man through the rooms and down the corridors of the building where he works as he struggles to come to terms with his new role as a father. It is his partner, the mother of his child, who helps him to open his eyes and imagine a better future for him and his young family.
Ballymun has often been seen negatively through the media, choosing to depict the area in terms of crime, addiction and deprivation. The residents, initially wary of Molloy and Lawlor’s intentions, were keen to redress that negative portrayal, which results in a film that celebrates love, community and new life.
Since July 2003, through CIVIC LIFE, Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor have explored the relationship communities have to the environments in which they live and work. All of the CIVIC LIFE films are shot on 35mm cinemascope making extensive use of the long take and involving largely non-professional casts made up of volunteers from the local communities.
Their most recent film, TIONG BAHRU, is currently on tour around the world. Details, here.
Joe talks about his and Christine’s process here.
See MOORE STREET, the second in the CIVIC LIFE series, here.
