The Man From A.U.N.T.

From the collection of

Launched in 2000, Northern Ireland Screen’s Digital Film Archive spans from 1897 to the present day and currently contains an ever-expanding catalogue of 13,000 items. It comprises material from a variety of depositors including feature films, sport, documentaries, animation, amateur footage, light entertainment, and a significant proportion of broadcast material from the UTV Archive.

The Man From A.U.N.T.

Northern Ireland Screen's Digital Film Archive
Derry / Londonderry
1965-01-01
Sound
4m

Who is this mysterious man causing chaos in the city of a 1000 rumours? Watch tonight's feature from Alfred Hiccup to discover Derry's hidden world.

Alfred Hiccup presents the Man from Aunt. Will this be a thrilling tale of secret international counter-espionage? Travel to the city of a thousand rumors to find out! Terence McDonald brilliantly weaves two popular shows from the time into his own slapstick homage to early cinema amongst the walls and docks of Derry. The comic cast come from the local community and the two boys are Terence McDonald's pupils from The Brow of the Hill School.

Terence McDonald (1926 - 2001) was a teacher, film historian, film collector and a pioneering amateur filmmaker from Derry. He made 35 films in his lifetime covering a wide range of themes such as mental health, travelling theatre, and portraits of his home town, Derry. His playful fiction films often pay homage to classic cinema moments from Peyton Place to Potemkin, from Chaplin to Jacques Tati. Terence McDonald undertook all aspects of production - filming, sound recording and editing and produced a body of remarkably sophisticated work. This film is courtesy of his son, Peter McDonald.

Amateur Auteurs

Ever dreamed of shooting your own movie? These pre-digital cine-enthusiasts did - with all the passion and devotion of the true auteur.

These low- (or no-) budget creations reach beyond simple point-and-shoot, back-garden efforts towards something more ambitious and skilful, revealing their authors' passion for film and their often astonishing ingenuity with limited resources. No desktop editing software or digital special effects for these amateur auteurs. The films include fiction and documentary, competition prizewinners and private labours of love. They may be the work of cine-clubbers or individual enthusiasts. But they all show a devotion to filmmaking that far transcends hobbyism. So look out for the delightful handmade intertitles, table-top special effects and library soundtracks which decorate many of the quirky stories, ultra-local documentaries and painstakingly composed home movies featured here.