Northern Ireland Editorial Talent in the Spotlight as The Life We Leave Secures SXSW World Premiere and Competition Place

Holywood, Co Down–based company Red Wolf Films is celebrating a major international achievement after feature documentary film, The Life We Leave, secured a world premiere and official competition selection at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas.

SXSW takes place in March each year and is one of the world’s most influential cultural festivals, renowned for championing storytelling across film, music and technology. Selection in competition places the film among a small, highly curated group and formally judged by international juries marking it out as a work of significant creative and cultural significance.

Directed by Seattle-based filmmaker JJ Gerber, The Life We Leave explores the moment Washington State legalises human body composting as a form of disposition, following entrepreneur Micah Truman as he stakes everything on a radical new vision for deathcare challenging long-held cultural attitudes toward death, grief and remembrance.

The film was edited at Red Wolf Films by Giordano Bonora Groome, with Teresa McDonald serving as Assistant Editor, highlighting the strength of Northern Ireland’s editorial talent on a major global stage.

From Trainee to SXSW Competition Credit

For Assistant Editor Teresa McDonald, the SXSW premiere represents a significant professional milestone. Teresa joined Red Wolf Films in 2023 as a trainee through the Northern Ireland Screen CINE scheme and now has another international feature documentary credit to her name.

Teresa commented:

“I came to Red Wolf as a trainee without any expectation that I’d be working on a film premiering at SXSW a few years later. To see this project also recognised in competition is incredibly meaningful and shows what can happen when training opportunities are backed by investment and support.”

Teresa added:

“The experience of working in editorial day-to-day, learning on the job and being part of a collaborative creative team has been invaluable. To be part of a film recognised by a festival like SXSW is something I’m incredibly proud of.”

The Editorial Approach

Editor Giordano Bonora Groome reflected on the creative editorial process:

“What was interesting for us as editors was working a BBC religious programme rooted in reflection and public service at the same time as this feature documentary asking profound questions about death, customs and ritual. In very different ways, both pieces were about how people find meaning. Moving between those worlds sharpened the editorial approach on each project and reminded us how central storytelling is, regardless of format or platform.”

Impact of Skills Development

Paula Campbell, CINE Lead at Northern Ireland Screen commented: “Teresa is a shining example of the impact of the CINE scheme, progressing from trainee to assistant editor on a feature documentary premiering in competition at SXSW. Her achievement highlights the strength of NI Screen’s partnership with production companies and is well-deserved recognition of her contribution to Red Wolf Films, while serving as an inspiration to emerging talent across the screen industry.”

More info: https://redwolf-films.com