Director Edel O'Mahony introduces David Puttnam: The Long Way Home, her documentary portrait of the legendary British film producer and longtime West Cork resident, which premieres on RTÉ One this June - watch it now, via RTÉ Player.
It's June 2021 and I’m on my way to Skibbereen to meet David Puttnam for the first time.
Producer Clíona Ní Bhuachalla participated in The Puttnam Scholarship Programme, a series of masterclasses on film making. She believes David has a fascinating story and I’m very excited. While I had seen many of David’s films I soon realised there was so much more to this man than an Oscar winning film producer.
June 2022 and it's 25 degrees. I’m in Killarney driving David and Patsy Puttnam to a restaurant to celebrate their new Irish citizenship. It’s my first time driving this car. I can’t find the air conditioning and I can’t work the sat nav. We are baking. David and Patsy are elated and emotional. Thankfully they don’t seem to notice that I’m lost. I feel privileged to witness such a special moment in their lives – we celebrate with lunch overlooking the MacGillycuddy Reeks and Lough Léin.
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Listen: David Puttnam talks to The Brendan O'Connor Show
As we get to know David my vision for his story slowly unfolds. The backdrop to our documentary is magical – everything is bathed in a beautiful West Cork Winter light.
He talks to us about everything – the improbable journey from a North London School dropout to having a multi-faceted career. He shows how each element of his journey supported the next, eventually leading him and Patsy to Ireland. We learn that he cares deeply about the world and is passionate about the environment, politics and education.
Most importantly we discover that he has found the place where he is most content and feels he is doing his most important work in his ninth decade.
We also get to know Patsy Puttnam, the charismatic, intelligent woman who has been by his side since they were teenagers. They show us how they gave each other freedom and space to flourish within the parameters of a very strong relationship. This story, their willingness to trust us, along with the raw beauty of their West Cork home gives us the perfect ingredients to make this documentary.
The edit proves to be the most challenging part – there are so many significant moments to choose from, so many stories eloquently told by David and Patsy. But the documentary can only be an hour! I imagine the process like an excavation site – we have to sift through so much to find the pieces which represent each stage of David’s life and then we have to weave them seamlessly together to tell his story.
I don’t want to finish this documentary – I’m enjoying the process too much! But it’s time to let go and share the varied life and career of David Puttnam and the long journey he has taken to find his home in Ireland.
David Puttnam: The Long Way Home, RTÉ 1, Thursday 20th June at 22.15 pm - catch up afterwards via RTÉ Player.
