The humble documentary has come on in leaps and bounds. No longer is it the preserve of teachers in classrooms on rainy days or bespectacled specialists hell-bent on studying certain fields. The Discovery and National Geographic television channels and specific documentary categories in international film festivals, have catapulted the genre into the mainstream.

As testament to the increasingly popular medium, the IFI will be screening 25 productions in its second Stranger Than Fiction Documentary Festival and Market from next Friday. Starting on Thursday thefourdayswillbe filled with screenings, workshops, public debates and competitions.

The festival will open with an incredibly gripping and eye-opening documentary called Touching the Void (October 2), directed by Kevin MacDonald. Mountaineers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates set off in 1985 to climb the unconquered west face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. The two climbers, then in their 20s, did reach the summit, but after a fall on the descent, Simpson's suffered a severe leg injury.

Stuck in a hugely precarious and dangerous situation, in a full snow storm with a wind chill factor of about minus 80 degrees, Simpson found himself staring death in the face.

What follows is an extraordinary story of survival and human endeavour. This combination of digital footage, brave and honest narration from the two climbers and stunning cinematography, is an excellent production which tells an unforgettable story of extreme endurance. A panel discussion with the director will take place on Friday at 11am. (Rating: *****)

Spellbound (October 4), directed by Jeff Blitz, is a heartwarming and interesting look at young contestants who take part in National Spelling Bee competitions in the US. The focus is on eight American spellers who come from all walks of life.

Spellbound follows their training and their private lives, sharing with the audience their personalities, their hopes, their motives and their interest in learning dictionaries as they prepare intensely for a competition which, arguably, puts young kids under too much pressure. These bright young people - from eight to thirteen years of age - do participate by choice, but the effects that the pressure has on such young minds is questionable.

An oddly enjoyable view of a massively popular American tradition. (Rating: ****)

With all the recent hype surrounding the 19th century Australian legend, Ned Kelly - including Peter Carey's Booker Prize-winning True History of the Kelly Gang and Gregor Jordan's upcoming feature film starring Heath Ledger and Orlando Bloom - public interest in the Robin Hood-type figure is still very much alive.

Barrie Dowdall directs Ned Kelly: The True Story (October 4), which will have its premiere screening at this festival.With period shots, lithographs, clips from the world's oldest feature film (1906) and accounts from Ned Kelly experts, this documentary examines how and why Ned Kelly became an international icon when he was hanged at the tender age of 25.

Although the re-enactments look amateur and the main narrator sounds like he'd rather be doing anything else than reading the script, this account of the legend's life paints a thorough picture of how and why an Irish emigrant's son sought justice and freedom for the down-trodden Irish in Australia in the 1870s. This documentary will also be shown on TG4 at 9pm on Saturday. (Rating: **)

Also look out for Steve James' Hoop Dreams (October 5); Capturing the Friedmans (October 5); Did Anyone Notice Us (October 4); and Completely Cuckoo (October 5).

Call the IFI at 01-6793477 for a programme, or log on to www.irishfilm.ie

Previewed by Helen Boylan