International Premiere
Singer Eva Cassidy has one of the most tragic success stories in contemporary music, rising to global fame years after her death from melanoma at 33 years old. While her powerful voice didn’t have as large an audience during her life, her friends and family knew she was special from an early age. Tracing her life from a precocious, talented child to the soulful, uncompromising artist she would become, directors Alex Fegan and Malcolm Willis uncover an intimate portrait of Eva. With never-before-heard recordings and exclusive footage, they not only capture the raw talent and grace of Eva’s music, but the humility and vibrancy of her inner life. A self-effacing, shy woman who valued her independence and artistic vision over chasing fame, Eva weathered internal and external pressures while staying true to herself. An intimate tribute not only to her art, but the person behind the legend, The Essence of Eva celebrates the beautiful life of Eva Cassidy and the indelible legacy she left behind.
Oct 6 & 7: Q&A
Presented by
Media Partner
Community Partner
Ireland
2025
English
Book Tickets
Credits & Director
Producer
Malcolm Willis, Alex Fegan, Brendan Byrne
Screenwriter
Alex Fegan, Malcolm Willis
Cinematography
Malcolm Willis
Editor
Alex Fegan
Malcolm Willis
Malcolm is an English director who has lived in County Kerry, Ireland, for over 25 years. A former fireman and police detective, he entered filmmaking later in life. His debut feature documentary Kilimanjaro Mama (2019) won Best Feature at the Kerry International Film Festival. His second film, Blow-Ins (2022), explored immigration in Dingle and premiered on RTÉ One. He wrote, directed, and produced both films and is currently producing two new documentaries.
Filmography: Blow-Ins (2022)
Alex Fegan
Alex Fegan is an Irish filmmaker who left a career as a lawyer in 2008 to pursue his childhood dream of filmmaking. He is the founder of Atom Films, and has made some of Ireland’s best-loved documentaries including The Irish Pub (2013), Older Than Ireland (2015) and Sins of Ireland and Am I Here? (2024).
Filmography: Man Made Men (2009); The Irish Pub (2013); Older Than Ireland (2015); Am I Here? (2023); Sins of Ireland (2024); The Omagh Hum (2024)
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
The Nutcracker at Wethersfield
Back in the long, dark Covid winter of 2020, there was no way the New York City Ballet could mount their traditional Christmas production of Tchaikovsky's fairytale. But choreographer Troy Schumacher had a dream to save the show -- reimagining a classic.
The Wizard of Oz
Judy Garland is Dorothy, a Kansas farm girl swept by a tornado to the Technicolor world of Oz, where she is befriended by a cowardly lion, a brainless scarecrow and a tin man without a heart.
The Wizard of Oz © 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. All Rights Reserved.
North of Ourselves
In the depths of winter, two adventurers set out to cross Quebec from one end to the other on bike and skis, exploring its staggering geography and meeting its inhabitants (human and otherwise) along the way.
The Secret Agent
Having run afoul of an influential bureaucrat in Brazil’s military dictatorship circa 1977, Marcelo decamps to Recife to live under an assumed name — but he’ll soon come to understand precisely how rampant the country’s corruption has become.
It's a Wonderful Life
Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings. This Christmas classic is whimsical, sure, but it has the depth to stand up to multiple watches, and it really should be a communal experience, because that is what it's about.