Award winning American filmmakers Daniel Klein and Mirra Fine have released their latest video ‘Beyond the Break’ for their online Food Documentary Series ‘The Perennial Plate’ focusing on a Clare based community garden.
Filmed along the Wild Atlantic Way, the video profiles surfer turned organic farmer Fergal Smith, Moy Hill Community Garden, based near Lahinch in Co Clare and will be shared with millions of followers online.
After a career in pro surfing, Fergal decided that climate change was too big of a force for him to ignore and decided to go back to the land and farm organically. On top of working on the farm, Smith contested the General Election earlier this year.
Attempting to reduce his carbon footprint, the surfer turned farmer is now focused on creating a sustainable, organic lifestyle based on Ireland’s land and waves. The video blends stunning landscapes, the thrilling experiences of local surfing and Fergal’s journey to really illustrate the authenticity and connection between place and plate in Ireland’s west coast.
Speaking about their experience filming on the Wild Atlantic Way, Daniel Klein commented “Filming on the Wild Atlantic Way provided a constant source of inspiration, the rugged landscape, the dramatic weather and the real life stories make an incredible combination for beautiful films.
“Doing a story about pro-surfers who decided to reject the jet-set lifestyle of traveling the world in order to stay home in Ireland and build a farm and a community in Co Clare was a no brainer for a great story. It’s the kind of story we are always looking for – the stunning visuals of surfing under the Cliffs of Moher combined with the positive journey over to a slower life and settling down to grow organic food.”
Documentarians Daniel and Mirra, together with Hunter Johnson, whose videos have amassed tens of millions of views, arrived in Ireland in September and spent two months digging deep into the local food cultures of Ireland as they experienced the food and cultural landscapes of the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Ancient East, and Dublin.
John Mulcahy, Fáilte Ireland’s Head of Food said “Fáilte Ireland is continually looking for ways to get Ireland’s unique food story out there and we were delighted to have The Perennial Plate over to explore the culinary landscape of our country. We hope this further chapter in their series of food videos appeals to their millions of fans around the world and whets the appetites of many potential future visitors.”
The Perennial Plate will create a total of ten videos on Ireland which will include local vignettes highlighting stories of local producers and a visual montage of Ireland. These videos will be shared with their followers on Vimeo (8.6m views to date) and YouTube (2.5m views to date) and Facebook (10M+).