Pat Collins is an Irish film director, producer, and editor who has worked in both fiction and documentary films. She was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1964, and graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 1987 with a degree in modern history and political science.
Collins started her career as an editor, working on documentaries for Irish television. In 1993, she co-founded the Irish production company, Magamedia. She went on to produce and direct a variety of documentaries, working with a range of topics from Irish history to socially-focused films. Her work has been screened at festivals around the world, including the Sundance Film Festival.
In 2006, Collins made her feature film debut with the drama ‘Silence’. The film tells the story of a young Irish woman who moves to London and is forced to confront her past. It was an official selection at the Tribeca Film Festival and won the Special Jury Prize at the Galway Film Fleadh.
In 2010, Collins directed ‘Dreams of a Life’, a documentary about Joyce Vincent, a woman whose body was discovered in her London apartment three years after her death. The film was selected for the Sundance Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival.
In 2015, Collins released ‘Song of Granite’, a biopic about the legendary Irish singer Joe Heaney. The film was selected for the Toronto International Film Festival and won the World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.
In her career, Collins has been awarded numerous awards and recognitions. In 2012, she was awarded the IFTA Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television Award, and in 2016 she was honoured with the IFTA for Outstanding Achievement in Film.
Pat Collins is an inspiring figure in Irish cinema, having achieved success both in documentary and fiction film. Her work has had a lasting impact on Irish filmmaking and culture, and she continues to make pioneering films that explore the complexities of Irish life.
