RITA DAVERN - Director/Producer

Over the past 40 years, Rita Davern (originally Davoren) has traveled the Burren, birthplace of her grandmother’s people in County Clare, Ireland. She will most often be found in the kitchen drinking tea with friends and distant relations. The conversation often turns to those who stayed and those who left, as the devastation of colonization, hunger and emigration took its toll. Rita knows first hand that, for U.S. people with European heritage, reconnecting to our homeland and our cultural history adds huge richness to our lives. A community engagement artist in her work and in her life, Rita believes the greatest find of genealogy is the living relatives. 

Rita worked as a communication and leadership consultant to corporate America for twenty years. When her adopted Korean son became ill, she discovered — and now teaches — Parenting-by-Connection, an approach to parenting that builds deep, strong, healing relationships with children through play. She is an experienced project manager, seminar leader, consultant and coach. Rita and colleague Jane Powers were awarded a Forecast Public Art research and development grant in 2009 to work with Indigenous artists to find ways to "map” the history of Dakota people" onto the present day landscape of Minneapolis and St. Paul.” 

The theme of connection through history takes center stage in Rita’s life. Time at home in her beloved Minnesota also matters deeply to Rita. She can be found dogsledding in the north woods or walking the land her great grandfather farmed with her husband, Bob.

DUMITRITA PACICOVSCHI - Associate Producer

Dumitrita is a film festival programmer and producer who has worked on several documentaries, including “Silicone Soul” (producer), “Beneath the Ink” (associate producer) “The Summer Help” (associate producer). She is also the producer of “Minka,” a documentary directed by Igor Myakotin. Dumitrita worked for film festivals around Europe (Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival, Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival, Cheap Cuts Short Documentary Film Festival) in various roles and is on screening committees for many other festivals including AFI DOCS. She graduated with a MSc in Film Studies from the University of Edinburgh and currently heads the industry side at Moldox International Documentary Film Festival for Social Change and organizes the advanced documentary workshop and pitch at the festival.

ALICIA HATHAWAY - Graphics/Media

Alicia Hathaway recently graduated from film school in Minneapolis. She worked as a camera assistant for the Twin Cities Film Fest in 2016 and was also a part of the editing team. Post-production is her favorite part of the filmmaking process. Along with a passion for filmmaking, she enjoys creating and writing music. Alicia edits and manages media, publications and event planning for Burren Girl. Alicia had the amazing opportunity to grow up as an army brat. This has given her the opportunity to see the world and understand cultures other than her own. She loves being back in Minnesota after years away. She says, “Its like a breath of fresh air.”

MARIA SCHOELLER - Photography, Ireland 2015

Maria Schoeller, born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota, is a fourth generation Irish-American. She studied Sociology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, lived and worked in the south of France, and has held a lifelong passion for photography, film, culture, and finding our roots. Maria has always been curious about why she holds such a deep pride in being of Irish descent and hopes to investigate her seemingly mysterious connection to Ireland further while helping to make this film with her aunt, Rita Davern.