Summer in the Fountain

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Sociopolitical Documentary hosted by Jayne Wisener, published by BBC broadcasted as part of BBC True North series in 2024 - English narration

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A small, working-class estate in a time of big change, its people looking back to a violent past but also forward to a better future. Summer in the Fountain takes us into a community at a crossroads. The Fountain is the only Unionist estate on the west bank of the River Foyle in Derry-Londonderry. During the Troubles, its population went into decline as many Protestants living in the mainly Nationalist Cityside moved over the river to the Waterside. Those who stayed saw their community shrinking, and there were even some who feared this enclave might disappear altogether. But today, with the iconic Peace Bridge linking people on both sides of the river, this is a changed city. The film takes us into the Fountain in the weeks around two key events in the Unionist calendar marked by bands and bonfires: the 12 July commemoration of the Battle of the Boyne and the Apprentice Boys Parade on 12 August, remembering the siege of the city in 1689. Different voices express their thoughts and feelings about the Fountain. Donna remembers only too well the violence here and how it affected her. Taxi driver Curly cherishes his sense of identity but welcomes the new peace. Community worker Derek has known the Fountain since his childhood in the worst years of the Troubles, yet passionately argues for dynamic dialogue with Unionism’s political opponents. And a younger generation such as Tabbie and Candace are not afraid to embrace new ways of life. The film ends with the opening of the New Gate arts and culture centre. A state-of-the-art facility in a renovated building in one of the oldest streets, it speaks volumes about a new optimism in the Fountain.