Her Song
The doors are closed. There are no more screenings of this film.
Synopsis: Eve learns of her Grandmother’s harrowing history in a Mother & Baby home. Woven through her past is the mythological and misunderstood figure of the Banshee, whose comforting presence inspires the strength she needs to tell her story.
Language
Run Time
Starring
Nicola Coughlan (Eve)
Directed by
Jack Kirwan
Produced by
Director's Statement
The ongoing repercussions of the events that occurred in Mother & Baby homes and the Magdalene Laundries have been etched into our social consciousness. The slow revelations of the extent of the abuses carried out throughout the last century have been present in media coverage our whole lives. Growing up in a society which has seen the Church’s power diminish dramatically, it is hard for us to fathom the influence they had and the injustices that were carried out against so many Irish women.
The Banshee, on the other hand, comes from a time before the Church had dominion over Ireland. She is a pagan force and cannot be confined by modern religion. She was supposedly an old wailing hag who brought nothing but despair. Society shunned her just as they shunned the “fallen women” who became pregnant and locked away. We see her as a sort of unsung hero, who watches and mourns all of Ireland’s tragedies. She cries for those who have died and is empathetic for those who mourn alone. Given the tragedies of the Mother & baby homes she has certainly had much to mourn.
In this film we wanted to bring the audience on a journey into recent Irish history and experience the sadness that so many Irish women suffered at the hands of the Catholic Church. The flowing and illustrative animation is filled with luscious imagery to help evoke the complex emotions felt by the characters that we hope audiences will enjoy.
Director's Bio
As part of Radii Animation’s busy team, Éabha Bortolozzo and Jack Kirwan are two young, Irish, multi-award winning directors
Since meeting in 2014 in their degree course in IADT Animation the two have co-directed two short films together as well as working as animators and background artists at Radii Animation, a new and exciting studio in Dublin.
Their first film, The Usual was well received and selected to screen worldwide at festivals in Asia, The US and Europe.
Her Song is their second film and the second short film produced by Radii animation as the production company grows out from pre-school and educational content.
Since it’s completion in March 2020 it has secured a long-list nomination for Academy Awards 2022 and an IFTA for best animation.