Personal details
- Professions: Producer, Director, Writer
Michael Hewitt, a name you might not hear tossed around Hollywood every day, but the guy’s got some serious range. Kicked things off with “Still Life” back in ’99—yeah, that’s pre-Y2K, which feels ancient now. That film, all quiet intensity and raw edges, didn’t exactly flood the box office, but critics? They nodded. Hewitt’s always had this way of making you squirm in your seat, like you’re eavesdropping on someone’s worst day. Fast forward a few years and boom—“Road” drops in 2014. This one’s grittier, like the cinematic version of running your hand along rusted metal. The story drags you through towns where hope’s in short supply, and Hewitt doesn’t flinch from the bleak stuff. There’s dirt under the characters’ fingernails, you know? That’s the kind of detail he chases. And then there’s “Doineann” (2021), which, if you haven’t clocked it yet, is a tense little thriller set against windswept Irish landscapes. It’s got this moody, almost suffocating vibe—like the sky’s about to cave in on you. Hewitt’s camera lingers on the stuff most folks would look away from: loss, regret, the way silence can hang heavier than any storm cloud. Bottom line, Hewitt’s not out here making movies for folks who want easy answers. He digs into the messiness of life, the stuff that makes you uncomfortable. And honestly? That’s where the good stories live.
DoubleBand Films, rooted in Belfast, came to life when Dermot Lavery teamed up with another creative mind to shake up the local documentary scene. These guys didn’t just want to make movies; they wanted to dig into real stories—gritty, honest, sometimes a little messy. Their productions have a certain edge, something that’s hard to fake. You can tell they’re not afraid to poke at sensitive subjects or dive into Belfast’s complicated history. Over the years, DoubleBand has dropped a bunch of documentaries that got people talking, not just in Northern Ireland but way beyond. They’ve covered everything from political chaos to cultural oddities, always with a knack for pulling genuine emotion out of their subjects. Honestly, it’s wild how they’ve managed to stay independent and keep their voice sharp in an industry that loves to smooth things out. If you’re looking for stories with guts, this is the crew to watch.
Konidela Ram Charan