Project Description

With a colourful cast of characters contesting the 2011 Presidential Election the Race to the Áras was always likely to be a blockbuster. But few could have predicted the fascinating twists and turns that would unfold as the plot revealed itself.

The Naked Presidential Election revisits the highlights and lowlights that decorated the month long campaign.

From the ‘comeback kid’ to the ‘quango queen’, from ‘vile accusations’ to the contested testimony of ‘border smugglers’, the Irish public has borne witness to a myriad of sensational rumours and revelations.

Amidst all of this noise, there has been little space to unearth the human side of the personality contest and the seven individuals who are prepared to turn their lives upside down for four weeks as they compete for the affection of the Irish public.

The Naked Presidential Election is a one-hour documentary that strips the campaign bare of spin. Our cameras were rolling behind the scenes with the seven nominees, following the fortunes of the candidates on their month long canvass around the country.

In a campaign that has been led, defined and narrated by the media, The Naked Presidential Election also tracks the battle for the nation’s attention as our cameras went behind the scenes during the highly charged debates in the RTÉ studios and with the political team of the Irish Independent.