Languages Archives: Irish

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A woman with dark hair and blood on her cheek looks off camera left.

Fréwaka

  Aislinn Clarke

  Ireland     103 minutes

Synopsis

They’ve been defanged — literally — by pop culture. But in Irish folklore, fairies (also known as the sidhe, or, in this film, simply “them”) are a real and serious threat. For the followup to her 2018 feature debut The Devil’s Doorway, writer-director Aislinn Clarke dives deep into the sinister side of these supernatural creatures for a terrifying folk-horror film that’s steeped in ancient legend and presented with a deep sense of pride in Irish language and tradition.

Siubhán— known to her friends as “Shoo” — is a home care nurse struggling with mixed emotions after her estranged mother dies by suicide. Pieg is her elderly client, who lives so far out in the country that the only directions to her cottage are to “turn at the fairy tree.” Pieg’s home is covered in wards and charms, and she insists that Shoo adopt her superstitious ways as well. As it turns out, there’s a reason for that: Many years ago, Pieg made a promise to the sidhe, and they’ve returned to collect.

 Irish, English with subtitles

Screenings & Events

Film Credits

  •   Diarmuid Lavery
  •   Aislinn Clarke
  •   John Murphy
  •   Narayan Van Maele
  •   Clare Monnelly, Bríd Brennan, Aleksandra Bystrzhitskaya
  •   Die Hexen
  •   DoubleBand Films

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Cumar: A Galway Rhapsody

  Aodh Ó Coileáin

  Ireland      2020    

Synopsis

Nestled along Ireland’s Western coast, Galway holds a magnetic attraction for artists of all stripes. Through a series of interviews with writers, musicians, poets, and painters, Cumar ( Irish for “confluence”) crafts a portrait of the metropolis as seen through the eyes of its artists. This visually sumptuous, reflective ode to the city itself explores Galway’s rich history of artistic excellence and its enduring influence on its residents.

 English, Irish with subtitles 
  72 minutes

Screenings & Events

Media

Sponsors

Film Partners

Logo: Ireland Consulate General 2022 280x75logos: Irish Film Institute / Culture Ireland / The Arts Council

Accessibility Partner

logo: Periscope Post & Audio 308x100

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Shelter Foscadh

  Seán Breathnach

  Ireland      2021    

Synopsis

Stricken with grief after his parents’ death, the reclusive, extremely shy 28-year-old John Cunliffe is attacked on the street. As he recovers in the hospital, both physically and mentally, he begins to fall for his nurse Siobhán. Upon his release from the ward, he begins to abandon his hermit-like ways and open his heart to the world. Featuring stunning, mist-covered landscapes and a magnetic lead performance, this adaptation of Donal Ryan’s The Thing about December is an emotional character study of one man’s journey to embrace life.

 Irish with subtitles 
  93 minutes

Screenings & Events

Media

Sponsors

Film Partner

Logo: Ireland Consulate General 2022 280x75