Galway vs. Leeuwarden Dorrit Jorritsma, Eoin Butler Thornton and Joris Hoebe are working together on Hidden Words as part of the Tandem Cultural Capitals programme, a project in which they wish to develop cultural exchange between Galway and Leeuwarden, focusing on representations of minority languages in film. Dorrit and Joris have had their first placement visit in Galway this summer and share their first impressions. Read more and watch the video. Together with Dorrit Jorritsma (Nachtkijkers Filmfestival) we went to visit our Tandem partner Eoin Butler Thornton (what a great name for a movie supervillain) at the Galway Film Centre in Galway. We were there during the Galway Film Fleadh, a lovely film festival focusing on Irish film and co-production. It hosts Ireland’s only film market. Galway is a very inspiring example for our region. My organization which is one year old is working on a vibrant creative climate for film and media makers in Friesland, in the North of the Netherlands. We are working on training, networking events, a regional fund etc. In Galway, they already have all that. This meant that we could immerse ourselves in a world of experience and expertise. The Irish Tandem partners were really open in sharing their facilities and best practices. We have taken a lot of knowledge back home. I love Ireland, I have been there quite a lot and I see myself living there in the future. It seems like everyone is very welcoming, relaxed and enjoys life. They work to live, not the other way round. And of course, we have enjoyed a lot of Guinness, live Irish music, full Irish breakfast and more. But the greatest thing about this Tandem for culture project is that I personally grew, I got inspired, and I can reflect much better on our situation back home. In August, Eoin will visit our place, I’m looking forward to that. We are working on a great project together to bring Irish and Frisian filmmakers together in Galway and Leeuwarden and commission new work based on minority languages (or alternative languages as we like to call them). The exchange will end with a festival on alternative languages that we will simultaneously organize in Leeuwarden and in Galway. I’m looking forward to making this happen. Thank you to the Galway film centre, and thanks Dorrit for such a great and inspiring time!