Donal Foreman has been an avid filmmaker since the age of 11, with a creative journey spanning multiple decades. He has not only written and directed numerous short films but also produced and shot dozens of projects, showcasing his versatility in genres ranging from comedy to documentary, drama to experimental.
During his teenage years, Foreman occupied himself with the creation of a series of twisted comedies, which earned him a spot at the Fresh Film Festival in Limerick for four consecutive years, winning awards in 2001, 2002, and 2003. His film "The Unmentionable" won first prize and the audience award in 2003, and it went on to be screened at the IFI "First Cut" showcase, the Galway Film Fleadh shorts section, and on RTE. Tony Keily of Film Ireland praised the film, stating that it "could stand with the very best short cinema this country has produced in recent years." Since then, Foreman has become a member of the board of directors for the Fresh Film Festival and has made appearances on RTE radio and TV, promoting the festival.
At the National Film School at IADT, Foreman focused on character-driven dramas and his shorts were screened at various film festivals, including the Galway Film Fleadh, the Irish Film Institute, the Cork Film Centre, the Kerry Film Festival, and internationally in Italy, Hungary, Argentina, the Philippines, Alaska, and Los Angeles. In 2007, a retrospective of his experimental and documentary work was organized by the Cork Film Centre, alongside the work of the renowned Irish experimental filmmaker Vivienne Dick.
In addition to his filmmaking endeavors, Foreman has also worked as a freelance film critic, publishing his work in various publications such as Cahiers du Cinema, Film Ireland, Experimental Conversations, Estudios Irlandeses, Karnival, Start Magazine, Filmmakers Alliance Magazine in LA, the Berliner Zeitung in Germany, and the Manilla Bulletin, the largest daily newspaper in the Philippines. He has also facilitated film workshops for young people, lectured at the Dublin Business School, directed promotional videos for Irish Modern Dance Theatre, and programmed films for Dublin's Experimental Film Club.
Foreman is an alumnus of the Berlinale Talent Campus and has recently developed a feature film script as part of the Irish/Scottish/Estonian co-production program ENGAGE.
