Triskelion: The Celtic Identity

A three-part documentary series searching the essence of "being a Celt". A new international television docuseries aims to explain the meaning of being a Celt, from 2000 years ago to the present day and into the future. Also planned is a cinematic version for distribution in theatres.

Join Triskelion's groundbreaking crowdfunding campaign and help this incredible indie TV production!

Depending on your contribution level, you will be able to access a series of exclusive benefits, including personalized official merchandising, visiting the production set, seeing your name in the credits or even figuring among the producers of this series!

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Defining who the Celts were over 2000 years ago is a challenge for historians and archaeologists. Even more difficult is understanding who today proudly claims these roots in everyday life. The docuseries Triskelion will investigate what remains of Celtic identity: is it plausible that these ancient people still influence the customs, traditions, culture, and spirituality of people living today? The series explores the connection between Celtic identity and figurative art, the passion for Celtic music and dance, and how these elements contribute to a sense of belonging. It also questions who can define themselves as Celtic today: is it a matter of language or place of birth? Is it about culture or DNA? 

Triskelion will try to find out if owning a Celtic identity is a widespread or rare and elitist feeling, whether it is an inclusive concept or one that aims to exclude, examining the connection between cultural identity, language, genetic roots, and geographical origins.

But what is the truth, if there is one? Who were the ancient Celts in the first place? What is their place, if any at all, in the world today and in the future? Ultimately: what does it mean, in the 21st century, to identify as a Celt?

"Triskelion: The Celtic Identity" is a docuseries divided in three parts.

The triskelion, as it is often seen, will be a symbol of the continuous cycle of past, present and future in Celtic history.

The series will embark on a deep exploration of these questions through interviews with experts from the academic world, renowned artists including Alan Stivell, one of the foremost representatives of the Celtic harp in Brittany and the world, Irish national radio presenter Ola Majekodunmi, Northern Irish musician Martin Okasili, Scottish-Italian linguist and musician Edoardo McKenna (from Brigata Folk), presenter, director and body language guru Luca Vullo, and others.

Identifying with Celtic heritage is still a source of pride today across the lands of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, the Isle of Man, Cornwall, extending to regions such as Brittany, Galicia and beyond, in the Aosta Valley, in Piedmont, Lombardy, Friuli Venezia Giulia and even further away. The docuseries will be going through many of these territories in search of answers.

Triskelion has recently received a significant boost with the ILBF development grant from Northern Ireland Screen, the national screen agency for Northern Ireland thanks to our cooperation with Dearcán Media.

The project has captured the attention of various public and private broadcasters and video platforms, both from the Celtic Nations and beyond. These entities have formally expressed their interest in broadcasting and streaming the docuseries while we are undergoing their official commissioning process. Additionally, various private and public organisations have offered financial contributions to support the production costs. Support has also come from local authorities, minority language institutions across Europe, and some universities, all offering their patronage and other forms of assistance.

Celtic Life International magazine has agreed to support our crowdfunding campaign by spreading the word, thus becoming one of our key media partners, together with MyCulture.plus and UAM.TV video platforms.

This ambitious and independent project is now in a crucial development phase: having garnered attention from various broadcasters and platforms, Triskelion is now welcoming contributions from 4Fund's audience as well as enthusiasts passionate about Celticity and identity. We invite you to support this initiative financially and, in return, officially become a film funder, receiving a range of perks and rewards for your involvement. Your donation will support the development phase as we endeavour to secure additional funding from commissioning media organizations, creative agencies, and various public and private sources.

Director: Garry Keane

Garry Keane embarked on his career by studying Journalism and Photography at the esteemed London College of Communication. He then honed his skills further by delving into the world of Film and TV at the Irish National Film School at IADT. Graduating in 1990, Garry moved between New York and London, establishing himself as a Director of Photography before finally settling in Ireland, where he has been a documentary filmmaker for the last 25 years.

Garry had directed over 100 hours of documentaries for all the top European and American broadcasters, spanning across more than 20 countries worldwide. His body of work has earned him recognition and acclaim, with an impressive 20 nominations for the Irish Film & Television Awards. Amongst these nominations, Garry secured nine coveted awards, including two wins in the esteemed “Best Director TV” category in 2013 and 2018.

His feature documentary, ‘GAZA,’ was five years in the making and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2019. The film transcended borders, captivating audiences in over 60 international film festivals, where it garnered 11 award nominations, ultimately triumphing in eight categories. Notably, ‘GAZA’ proudly represented Ireland as the country’s entry in the ‘Best International Feature’ category at the 2020 Oscars.

Producer/Writer: Emanuele Galloni

Emanuele is the CEO of indie distributor/sales house and production company Videoplugger, which specialises in licensing of content produced in minority languages, including Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Breton, Cornish and Galician. Emanuele has produced, co-produced and directed documentary series (Red Zones), music videos and short films. In 2020, an early work by Emanuele as a videographer and television producer was displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York as part of a retrospective on the Deep Dish / FSTV series "Shocking and Awful: A Grassroots Response to War and Occupation." For this series, Emanuele coordinated, filmed, and co-produced the episode "The World Says No To War". Emanuele is frequently invited as a panellist at various film festivals and events as an expert in the minority media landscape. He is also one of the founders of the first European minority language VOD platform MyCulture.plus.

Videoplugger will be one of the production companies involved in the project.

In collaboration with Dearcán Media Triskelion has recently been awarded the ILBF development grant by Northern Ireland Screen,  the national screen agency for Northern Ireland.

Production assistant: Monica Fuentes Montana

Monica's responsibilities include liaising with the cast, editor, director, and writer, as well as organising travel arrangements, booking accommodations, location scouting, researching, booking equipment for shootings and coordinating meetings. Monica's role also entails, translating and subtitling, selecting shots, and collaborating with the director in the casting process. She has actively contributed to the research and selection of the contributors to the documentary. 

Additionally, Monica plays a crucial role in editing the project's dossier. She is currently a business developer and researcher at Videoplugger and has a background in History, Marketing and Communication. She previously worked as a history archive researcher for various written publications.

DOP and editor: James Moriarty

James has over 20 years of experience as a London-based DOP and photographer in the fields of fashion, commercials, and documentaries. He has worked with clients such as Garmin, TOMS, Nike, Pull & Bear, Mulberry, and G-Shock. James was the DOP on the award-winning feature documentary "Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist (2018)." James is also a highly experienced editor.

An award-winning film and television director has been selected for Triskelion and his name will be announced and made public soon.

Featured in the teaser:

Ola Majekodunmi: (She/Her) Ireland / Nigeria: TV producer and Radio Broadcaster. 

Iria Lamas: (She/Her) Origin: Galicia, Spain, Actress

Martin Okasili: (He/Him) Origin: Northern Ireland, Musician and Activist. 

Padrig Morin: (He/Him) Origin: Brittany, France. Artist 

Ruth Keggin: (She/Her) Origin: Isle of Man, UK, Singer, songwriter 

Edoardo McKenna: (He/Him) Origin: Scotland / Italy. Linguist Researcher and Musician. 

Jalisa Andrews: (She/Her) Origin: Wales, UK. Actress and Dancer. 

Alan Stivell (He/Him) Origin: Brittany, France. Musician, performer. 

Luca Vullo (He/Him) Origin: Italy, Film director, producer and TV presenter.

Please note: some of the perks, due to their nature and the nature of this project, will be produced and/or made available only after the production and (in some cases) after the distribution of the docuseries. We will keep you informed about the availability of each perk. For this reason, you must provide us with your necessary contact details to ensure you receive timely updates and your perks as they become available.