Film screening and discussion, Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, Edinburgh

Description

Screening and discussion of “The Enigma of Frank Ryan” Event Details Date: 29 May 2014 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm Organiser: Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities / History Venue: The Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, The University of Edinburgh, 2 Hope Park Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9NW, UK ‘Truth at 24 frames a second’? A working dialogue between film-maker and historical consultant about the making of ‘The Enigma of Frank Ryan’ THE FILM (58 mins) A sympathetic but searching exploration of the life of Frank Ryan (1902- 1944) – Irish Republican, International Brigade volunteer in Spain and Nazi collaborator in Berlin. Frank Ryan’s life (born Limerick 1902, died Dresden 1944) remains an enigma. The teenage IRA volunteer, dissident republican and Spanish International Brigade volunteer, ended his life working for the Nazis in wartime Berlin. Drawing upon Ryan’s letters and journalism Bell has fashioned an engaging film which helps to illuminate the enigma that was Frank Ryan. THE DEBATE Film maker Desmond Bell (Professor and Head of Research, National College of Art and Design, Dublin) and historian Fearghal McGarry (School of History and Anthropology, Queens University Belfast) discuss their collaboration (facilitated by the AHRC* ) on the making of ‘The Enigma of Frank Ryan’ and probe some of the challenges of aligning historical method and creative film impulse in a project like this.

Period	29 May 2014
Held at	University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom