Kirsten Sheridan

Muide Eire / We are Ireland documents the history of Ireland on screen. From the horse drawn carriages of Dublin's yesteryear, to the latest summer blockbuster, this film takes an intimate look at film making in Ireland - as a visual expression of Irish culture, celebrating contemporary filmmakers in both the Irish and English languages. From the glamour of the red carpet to behind the scenes 5am starts, We are Ireland invites the viewer into this world where art and industry exist in delicate balance. The heart of this documentary is our investigation into representations of Ireland and the Irish - how the Irish have been viewed abroad, and how we represent ourselves on screen.

No one expects much from Christy Brown, a boy with cerebral palsy born into a working-class Irish family. Though Christy is a spastic quadriplegic and essentially paralyzed, a miraculous event occurs when, at the age of 5, he demonstrates control of his left foot by using chalk to scrawl a word on the floor. With the help of his steely mother — and no shortage of grit and determination — Christy overcomes his infirmity to become a painter, poet and author.