It is 1981 in rural Ireland. With her Mum pregnant for the umpteenth time and her boozy feckless Dad, who is of little use running either the farm or the household, young introspective Cait is sent to live with some relatives for the summer. Childless Sean and Eibhlin run a more prosperous farm, so are able to provide Cait with a more comfortable time, and more importantly, love for the first time in her life. However, they also have a crushing and tragic secret.
This is truly a magical film that barely puts a foot wrong. Director Colm Bairead, filming his own script makes a slow moving film as gripping as any action packed thriller, with small moments given huge meaning and emphasis. One simple gesture, involving a biscuit, for example, says more than pages of dialogue would. The decision to shoot mostly in the Irish language, helped by Kate McCullough’s stunning cinematography makes the film feel more poetic.
Carrie Crowley and Andrew Bennett are terrific as Sean and Eibhlin, and Catherine Clinch, in her first screen role, is extraordinary as Cait.
Heart-breaking, deeply moving and often uplifting, this is a triumph for Bairead and all concerned.
Rating: 9 out of 10