Experiencing Interruptions?

A Bedouin Dream

Nine-year-old Isra is proud of her Bedouin heritage and dreams of camping in the desert. But she and her parents are evicted from their home without having anywhere else to stay. Just as all hope appears lost, Isra’s camping dream inspires her father and they end up living in a tent in a nearby wood. Isra is delighted with the camping life but, when they have to leave suddenly, her idyll is shattered. Luckily, her mother has a plan to resurrect her Bedouin dream.

Commissioned by RTÉ Kids as part of the EBU Drama Exchange.

  • Tom (he/him) Johnson
    Director
  • Pádraig (he/him) Kenny
    Writer
  • Tom (he/him) Johnson
    Writer
  • Barbara (she/her) Healy
    Producer
  • Dilara (she/her) Tuç
    Key Cast
    "ISRA"
  • Louise (she/her) Benghazi
    Key Cast
    "MAMA"
  • Ash (he/him) Rizi
    Key Cast
    "BABA"
  • Francesca (she/her) Europa
    Key Cast
    "LAOISE"
  • Colm (he/him) Whelan
    Director of Photography
  • John (he/him) Desay
    Editor
  • Michael (he/him) Fleming
    Composer
  • Andy (he/him) Kirwan
    Sound Designer
  • Mary Murphy (stop.watch)
    Executive Producer
  • Eimear O'Mahony (RTÉ)
    Executive Producer
  • Beryl Richards (EBU)
    Executive Producer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Children's, Family
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    November 17, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    Ireland
  • Country of Filming:
    Ireland
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Arri Alexa
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival 2024
    Belfast
    United Kingdom
    Northern Ireland
    8+ Jury Award Winner
  • Fastnet Film Festival 2024
    Schull, West Cork
    Ireland
    Shortlist Nominee, Best Drama, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design
  • 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗮 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 2024
    Amsterdam
    Netherlands
    Finalist
  • RE-Generation International Youth Film Festival 2024
    Melbourne
    Australia
    Official Selection, Best of the Decade
  • Kerry International Film Festival 2024
    Killarney
    Ireland
    Official Selection
  • Chicago Irish Film Festival 2024
    Chicago
    United States
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Sidewalk Film Festival 2024
    Birmingham, Alabama
    United States
    Official Selection
  • Los Angeles International Children's Film Festival 2024
    Los Angeles
    United States
    Official Selection
  • KIDS FIRST! Film Festival 2024
    Santa Fe, New Mexico
    United States
    Official Selection
  • Carmarthen Bay Film Festival 2024
    Llanelli, Wales
    United Kingdom
    UK Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Ulsan Ulju Mountain Film Festival 2024
    Ulsan
    Korea, Republic of
    Official Selection
  • Achill Island Film Festival 2024
    Achill Island, Mayo
    Ireland
    Irish Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Athlone Film Festival 2024
    Athlone
    Ireland
    Honorable Mention
  • Clare Island Film Festival 2024
    Mayo
    Ireland
    Honourable Mention
  • Strandhill Film and Folk Festival 2024
    Sligo
    Ireland
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Tom (he/him) Johnson

With over 25 years’ experience in the industry, director Tom Johnson has worked in a range of genres, including documentary, entertainment and comedy. In 2014, he received a Best Director nomination from the Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) for his work on the documentary, Áine Lawlor: Facing Cancer. He has directed the award-winning children’s series Body Brothers and Let’s Find Out for RTÉjr. In 2024, his RTÉ/European Broadcasting Union (EBU) funded short, A Bedouin Dream, won a Jury Prize at the Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival (Belfast), was a finalist at the Children Cinema Awards (Amsterdam) and was selected by multiple film festivals across four continents. A Bedouin Dream is currently streaming on RTÉ Player.

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Director Statement

“Inspired by the social challenges being faced by many in 21st-century Ireland, with A Bedouin Dream, I wanted to tell a story of imagination, belonging, and the true meaning of home.”