Lifeblood Films

ABOUT

Lifeblood Films is an independent production company based in Ireland and a showcase for the work of director Maurice O’Brien.

We specialise in creative documentaries for Irish and international audiences.

The company was established in 2017 Maurice who has a 17 year track record of producing and directing critically acclaimed, award winning films for the BBC, RTE, Irish Film Board, Guardian Documentaries, Channel 4/Discovery, and Creative Scotland.

Lifeblood recently finished post production on the feature documentary ‘CHASING THE LIGHT’ about a group of spiritual misfits building a temple on the side of a remote cliff in Dzogchen Beara, West Cork. A beautiful meditative piece of cinema it will have its festival premier later in 2024.

Maurice is also currently series directing ‘LISTEN TO THE LAND SPEAK’, a landmark two-part arts and history series with Manchán Magan and Crossing the Line Films for RTE.

Maurice previously worked with Crossing the Line on ‘TOMMY TIERNAN’S EPIC WEST’ - a two part series for RTE about the culture of the West of Ireland which broadcast in December 2022.

‘THE ARTIST AND THE WALL OF DEATH’ , directed by Maurice and produced by John Kelleher Media/ Faction North, tells the story of artist Stephen Skrynka whose obsession with the motorcycle Wall of Death poses the question ‘would you die for your art?’

The film premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh in 2022 and had its international premier at Thessaloniki International Film Festival and UK premier at the Glasgow Film Festival before a cinematic release at the Irish Film Institute. It was nominated for an IFTA Best Feature Doc Award and funded by Screen Ireland and Screen Scotland, as well as RTE and BBC Scotland.

Maurice’s shorts ‘HEY RONNIE REAGAN’ and ‘BUFFALO DREAMS’ screened at numerous international film festivals, including Tribeca, NY Op Docs, Full Frame, Sydney, Edinburgh, Hot Springs, Dallas, Dublin, Cork, Fastnet Film Festivals.

Maurice films much of his work and is a former Sheffield Documentary Festival ‘Future Producer’ and holds an MA in Journalism from Dublin City University.

We also make music videos and high-class promotional content for clients including UNICEF, the Abbey Theatre and Coillte Nature.

You can see more examples of recent and past work here: https://vimeo.com/mauriceobrien

• ‘Leaving Limbo’ {RTE}

  https://vimeo.com/365760200/a5bc5a7cca

• ‘The Abbey – A Riot of Their Own’

  {Opening pre-title from the film}

  RTE Arts

• ‘Pitching Up’

  {Opening pre-title from the film}

  Guardian Documentaries

  Interview with Dave Fanning: https://www.rte.ie/radio/radioplayer/rteradiowebpage.html#!rii=9:21205944

• ‘Hey Ronnie Reagan’

  (opening pre-title)

  Directed by Maurice O’Brien and produced with Marmalade Films for the Irish Film Board. The film features cinematography from John McMahon and was edited by Cara Holmes. You can hear an interview that Ryan Tubridy conducted with Maurice for RTE Radio 1 here:

  https://www.rte.ie/radio/radioplayer/rteradiowebpage.html#!rii=b9_21357823_20433_27-04-2018_