THE PARTICIPANTS

THE PARTICIPANTS Watch the full film above. Click HD for best quality.

In an eerie abandoned world where no adults are to be found, a gang of forgotten children plays games to gain the favour of Mikhail, the self-proclaimed leader of this strange and isolated society. Rebelling against Mikhail's bullying ways, Emilia, Boris and the bird-like shaman boy Josef devise a plan to escape, twisting the rules to beat Mikhail at his own game.

Adopting the classic conventions of Sci-Fi and silent cinema - with dramatic use of visually striking graphic inter-titles throughout - a queer and unconventional fable unfolds. A dystopian fable with a strong anti-bullying message, THE PARTICIPANTS examines the nature of power, mob rule, and the darker side of human group behaviour. Do we choose to bravely participate in standing up for what we know is right? Or do we choose to remain fearfully silent in the face of oppression?

Developed in collaboration with the cast of children and teenagers, THE PARTICIPANTS was filmed in Lough Boora Parklands in the midlands of Ireland, a remarkable landscape of reclaimed bogland that serves as a unique backdrop for director Paul Rowley's first feature drama. A film which ultimately examines how societies condone bullying and the alienation of those perceived as different.

FESTIVALS Gaze Dublin International LGBT Festival. Indie Cork, Ireland. Offline, Birr, Ireland.

Screenplay by Tim Blue and Paul Rowley based on an original story by Tim Blue. Music by Dennis McNulty and Oberman Knocks. Sound Design Fiadhnait McCann. Director of Photography Tim Hood. Co-Producer Hello Camera.