Trailer for the documentary Blazing the Trail: O'Kalems in Ireland.
In 1910, the New York based Kalem Film Company made history by sending its leading filmmakers—director Sidney Olcott and screenwriter and lead actress Gene Gauntier—to County Kerry, in Ireland. Known to the public as the “O’Kalems,” they produced a series of groundbreaking films—rebel dramas, folk romances, tales of exile and emigration—celebrated for their authentic Irish settings and unrivaled in their use of scenery. This documentary uses never-before-seen footage and images to trace the history of these pioneers of the cinema.