Roscommon documentary wins two major awards at US Film Festival
The film delves into the unexpected reunion of three Boyle men on the front page of the Roscommon Herald in 1972 when they were serving in Vietnam. Pictured L to R: Sgt. Gerry Duignan, a native of Ardcarne, Boyle; Capt. Paddy Feely, late of Abbeytown, Boyle, and Sgt. Michael Noone, Cornagrea, Ballyfarnon.
A short film inspired by an old Roscommon Herald photograph of three Boyle men reading the Herald while serving for the US Airforce in Vietnam has scooped two major awards at a US film festival.
The documentary film entitled ‘A Roscommon Snapshot’ won 'Best Foreign Film' and 'Best Short Documentary' at the Veterans Film Festival in Los Angeles.
At the height of the Vietnam War, the photograph, which made the front page of the Roscommon Herald in 1972, features Sgt Gerry Duignan, a native of Ardcarne, Boyle; Capt Paddy Feely, late of Abbeytown, Boyle, and Sgt Michael Noone, Cornagrea, Ballyfarnon. What makes the photo even more fascinating is that the three men didn’t know each when the photograph was taken.
The documentary not only delves into the unexpected reunion of the three men on the front page of the Roscommon Herald but explores the intriguing journey that led these hometown neighbours to the battlefields of Saigon.
The film’s director and producer, Kathy Raftery, a native of Cloonlee, Ballinlough, said she was absolutely delighted her film won two prestigious awards at the Los Angeles festival.
“It’s great to see their story gaining such recognition and reaching a wider audience,” said Kathy.
She initially became intrigued by the photograph of the three soldiers in Vietnam when it was republished again in the Herald two years ago, exactly fifty years later.
“When I saw the photograph appear in the paper, I said that looks like a really interesting story - three men from Boyle meeting up in Vietnam. So I wanted to focus on the photograph and the story around these men,” she explained.
