'A Terrible Beauty' is a unique film that offers a fresh approach to the 1916 Rising in Dublin. It tells the little-known stories of the ordinary Irish Volunteer, British soldier and civilian caught up in the fighting. It is centered on two linked events during that Easter week, the battles of Mount Street Bridge and North King Street, culminating in the massacre of fifteen innocent young men and boys.

A Terrible Beauty 1916 - 2016

A Terrible Beauty 1916-2016 is an ongoing project which looks at the 1916 Easter Rising from a fresh and unbiased perspective. It is a "Living History" project that will consist of a digital portal for the stories of the participants and living relatives of those involved in the Rising in Dublin, including those who led the fight for Irish freedom, those who opposed it, and those - both the famous and unknown - who were caught up in its wake. It will chronicle and preserve vital individual stories as a resource for all.

Through the prism of those who were a part of this transformative event in Irish history and their living relatives, audiences have the opportunity to explore the conflict, reflect on past traumas and discover the lessons to be learned from this pivotal moment in history.

At the centre of the project is A Terrible Beauty / Áille an Uafáis a 90 minute feature docudrama which takes a unique look at the events of Easter Week 1916 in Dublin. This is the first film to tell the story from both the Irish and British perspective, showing the human cost of the fighting on both sides. Made by world renowned history filmmakers Tile Films, it premiered at the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival in 2013, had its broadcast debut on Irish language channel TG4 in April 2014 and has since been showing at select theatres in Ireland and the UK to much acclaim.

A Terrible Beauty / Áille an Uafáis focuses on the two most ferocious battles that took place during the Irish Rebellion of 1916, the battles of Mount Street and North King Street. By mixing archive footage with dramatic reconstructions and first-hand accounts it takes the viewer on a journey to the very heart of the conflict, giving them an up close and personal view of the often brutal and bloody fight which affected the lives of the men and women caught up in the maelstrom.

In using source material as the narrative to drive the story it allowed us to be more objective in telling all sides of the conflict resulting in a docudrama that is more balanced than any of the ones that have gone before it. The relevance of the stories told in the film are still of great importance today and along with the additional materials/stories collected, will offer viewers an understanding of the complex relationship between Ireland and England - their colonial history and their shared future.

When we started working on the docudrama A Terrible Beauty we had no idea of where it would take us and the extent of public interest in hearing the personal stories of ordinary people caught up in the 1916 Rising in Dublin. Since we finished the film, the project has grown into something much more.

Keith Farrell - Director

We will use the film's website (www.1916film.com) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ATerribleBeauty1916) as a resource for people to learn about some of the little-known stories of the Rising and how they affected the lives of the participant's and their families for many years after.