Private Project

Gerry Adams: A Ballymurphy Man

Irish republican leader, Gerry Adams is one of the most controversial political leaders and visionaries of our time, he led the people of the North of Ireland from conflict to peace, (1968-1994). Adams was a critical voice in the decision taken independently by the IRA to lay down their arms after their twenty-five-year war against the British. Imprisoned and shot, he was demonized and censored by dominant media as a subversive and terrorist – yet in the end the British and their allies were forced to recognize his legitimacy and negotiate with him and his party Sinn Féin, the Irish peace accord, ‘The Good Friday Agreement’. Today he is an elder statesman supporting the next generations on their peaceful and inclusive path toward Irish unity. An intensely private man protecting his family from the public eye, this is the first time, he tells his story. Interwoven with his words, a wealth of imagery of what is one of the most documented conflicts of our time giving an insight into Adams’ world, relaxed, informal, and uncensored.

  • Trisha Ziff
    Director
  • Trisha Ziff
    Writer
  • Ross McDonnell
    Producer
  • Trisha Ziff
    Producer
  • Bahman Naraghi
    Executive Producers
  • Mao Padilla
    Executive Producers
  • Diego Sanchez
    Executive Producers
  • Seamus McGarvey
    Cinematography
  • Jeronimo Goded
    Cinematography
  • Jacobo Leiberman
    Composer
  • Pablo Lach
    Sound Designer
  • Daniel Sametz
    Post Producer
  • Frankie Quinn
    Still Photography Advisor
  • Gerry Adams
    Key Cast
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Gerry Adams: Un hombre de Ballymurphy
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    History, Conflict Studies, portrait
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 57 minutes 24 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 30, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    500,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Mexico
  • Country of Filming:
    Ireland
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Best International Documentary Galway Film Fleadh
    Galway
    Ireland
    July 12, 2025
    World Premiere
    International Documentary Feature
Director Biography - Trisha Ziff

FILMOGRAPHY:

2018 – 24 GERRY ADAMS: A BALLYMURPHY MAN in post-production (feature doc). Director & writer Trisha Ziff Mexican production - Irish Film Board Development Funds. Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey & Jero Goded 212 BERLIN FILMS

2024 - 2025 FRIDA’s GAZE currently in production
Director Trisha Ziff, writers Marina Stavenhagen & Trisha Ziff, 212 Berlin Films.

2020-21 BRIDGET’S STORY Director & Writer and cinematography, - a short. Portrait of a woman fast food worker in Kansas City. Self-funded by 212BERLIN FILMS for initial development.

2021 OAXACALIFORNIA: THE RETURN (feature documentary)
Director and written by Trisha Ziff
Sundance Documentary Fund, NEH, California Humanities, Impulso Morelia and EFICINE Mexico 212 BERLIN FILMS
Nominated for two Arieles, best documentary and best soundtrack and CANACINE.

2019 - A TALE OF TWO KITCHENS (episode of series) – Director and co-writer - for No Ficción Netlfix. Producers, Elena Fortes & Daniela Alatorre.
Premiered, Tribeca Film Festival and AFI Docs.

2018 - WITKIN & WITKIN (feature doc)
Director & Producer Trisha Ziff
EFICINE funds Mexico. 212 BERLIN FILMS
Nominated Ariel - Mexican Academy Award, Best documentary Nominated Ariel – Mexican Academy Award, Best score. Nominated Best Documentary CANACINE. Won Best Documentary DOCU Arts. Screenings: AFI. Washington D.C. Morelia Int’l Film Festival, New York Doc. Hot Docs, Minneapolis FF, Doc Fest, Miami Int’l FF, DOCUArts, Festival, Poland. Tucson FF, San Antonio FF.

2018 - JUAN PERROS (doc short)
Dir. Rodrigo Imaz, Producer Trisha Ziff 212BERLIN FILMS Funded IMCINE. Mexico
TRISHA ZIFF - Director
Best Doc Morelia Int’l film festival, Best documentary short, DOCS DF, Best short Doc Monterey – Best short. Cannes International Film Festival.

2015 - THE MAN WHO SAW TOO MUCH (feature doc) Director/ Writer. Trisha Ziff 212 BERLIN FILMS Mexico, Funded by EFICINE funds Mexico. 212BERLIN FILMS Won Ariel - Mexican Academy Award for Best documentary, Won Ariel – Mexican Academy Award for best score. Press Award – Best documentary Guerrero
Best documentary Festival of Monterrey; Best Documentary festival of Memory, Best documentary Ambulante. Best documentary CANACINE, Hot Docs, AFI Docs, Dubai Int’l FF, plus Others.

2013 - PIRATE STORIES (series shorts)
Series of international shorts on film piracy.
Director, Producer, writer – Trisha Ziff 212BERLIN FILMS, Mexico. Funded by Copyright Alliance. Educational use only.

2011-THE MEXICAN SUITCASE (feature doc) Director, Producer, writer, Trisha Ziff. Funded by IMCINE Mexico & Ibermedia. Catalonian TV. & Canal 32.
212 BERLIN/MALLERICH FILMS.
Nominated Best Documentary Gaudi’s Catalonia. IDA - Doc Week, Nomination for Ariel – best score. Best Documentary – Miami Film Festival Festivals: Official Selection Karlovy Vary, Official Selection San Sebastian, DOCU Weeks U.S., Official Selection Morelia International FF. Hot Docs. AFI Docs.

2008 CHEVOLUTION (feature doc)
Co -Director & Producer - Trisha Ziff
212BERLIN/ FACTION FILMS.
Netflix US Red Envelope - Fortissimo Films/ Magnolia Funded by Netflix. Premiered in Tribeca, Silver Docs.

2008 - 9 MONTHS 9 DAYS (feature doc) Dir. Ozcar Ramirez.
Executive Producer – Trisha Ziff Co-production 212BERLIN FILMS / Artemecanica Funded by IMCINE Mexico.

2007 MY MEXICAN SHIVA (feature) Dir. Alejandro Springall
Co-producer - Trisha Ziff Springall Pictures. Mexico. Funded by IMCINE Mexico.

1994 OAXACALIFORNIA (feature doc)
Dir. Sylvia Stevens. DP. Seamus McGarvey
Producer / Writer, Trisha Ziff
Funded by California Council of Humanities & IMCINE Mexico. Shown on PBS U.S and Canal 22 Mexico.

RESUMÉ
Born: Leeds, England.
Education:
1973 - 74 Canterbury College of Art Pre-Diploma in Fine Arts.
1974 - 77 University of London - Goldsmiths College, BA Hons.
1996-2001 Postgraduate student at Dublin City University Department, M Phil to PhD. Metropolitan University, Irish Studies Dept. ‘A Rashamon Approach to the San Patricios’.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Trisha Ziff first met Gerry Adams in 1981 when she lived in the North of Ireland having established a photography and film workshop, ‘Camerawork’ in the Bogside, Derry at the height of the conflict. She has remained in contact with him for over forty years. Together with award winning Irish cinematographer, Seamus McGarvey they began filming in 2018, interrupted only by the pandemic. Ziff’s film weaves together Adams own story, images from his personal family album with the work of Irish and internationally acclaimed photographers as well as local amateurs, many images discovered in unknown archives, intercut with both iconic and unknown film footage. Coming from a curatorial background prior to working in documentary cinema, Ziff’s films all share her obsession with the still image. Gerry Adam's: A Ballymurphy Man is both a unique document as Adams tells his story, while illustrating his words with the wealth of imagery of what is one of the most heavily visually documented conflicts of our time.

Trisha Ziff is a Mexican citizen and has lived and directed films in Mexico for 20 years.