This film is a reunion of the director Martin McDonagh and film stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. They worked together on the famous film 'In Bruges' in 2008, a film that was very popular.

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Background

In Irish folklore, a banshee is the spirit who screams to indicate that a family member will die soon. An old woman (Mrs. McCormack), who reminds us of a banshee, appears quite often in this film, predicting that a family member will die soon.

The film has a rugged landscape as its’ gorgeous backdrop. It was filmed on location on Inishmore and Achill islands.

The Civil war was going on at the time of the story, and bombs were heard exploding and guns being fired from time to time on the mainland. I was waiting for the affairs of the war to be tied into the story, but this did not happen. Maybe it was just a hint to us that the story was a metaphor, but if so, the similarities between the friendship in the film and the war of friends were not very strong.

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The Story

Pádraic (Farrell) and Colm (Gleeson) have been friends for a long time but suddenly Colm decides to end that friendship. He has grown tired of their conversation in the pub every night, and wants to spend more time composing and playing music.

Therefore, Colm orders Padraic to stay away from him. But it is not easy to avoid anyone, because there is only one pub on the island, where the locals meet all the time. Colm is a musician, and he takes part in the music sessions that take place regularly in the same pub.

Pádraic is a small farmer who lives with his sister in their late parents' house. Colm was Pádraic's only friend, and they would hang out together every night in the pub. Pádraic is a slow-witted man and he does not properly understand what Colm is saying.

Out of loneliness, Colm begins to spend more time with Dominic (Barry Keoghan), a kid who annoys everyone on the island but they feel sorry for him because his father, the island's policeman, is abusive to everyone, his son included.

When Pádraic sees Colm chatting with Dominic in the pub, he is not happy and tries to be friendly with him. Colm becomes cross and threatens that if Pádraic doesn't leave him alone, he will cut off one finger on his left hand every time Pádraic talks to him.

No one knows if he's joking or not, and I'm not going to tell you now what happens after that in the movie in case it would spoil the story!

Direction and Cinematography

Martin McDonagh is a first class director, a man at the top of his game, and this film shows how good he is at his craft. McDonagh found the right balance between comedy and tragedy, and opened the door slightly between true story and fantasy, between friendship and enmity, between love and hatred. McDonough emphasizes the main characters and shows us their characteristics, not only with dialogue but especially with their facial expressions.

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Acting

Farrell and Gleeson gave us an excellent performance, and it is unlikely that any other actors would be as powerful as they are in the roles of Pádraic and Colm, and they triumphed in this film. Siobhan (Kerry Condon) is also great in her role as Pádraic's sister, a very intelligent person who stayed at home to look after her brother.

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Conclusion

After seeing the movie, I was kind of uneasy. The film did not have a proper closure, as there were some unanswered questions. I think it would be more difficult for non-Irish people to understand the plot, without knowing the historical context in Ireland at the time. Be that as it may, there is much in the film that is outstanding – the acting, the wild scenes and the cinematography included.

The influence of the director Quentin Tarantino is clearly visible, in my opinion, with the interplay between the gratuitous violence and the burning humor. Although I'm not overly impressed with that genre - it's kind of avant-garde, if you like that genre, you'll enjoy the film. Otherwise, don't bother!

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When I was attending Coláiste na Rinne in the summer, I had the opportunity to see the Irish film ‘An Cailín Ciúin’ at the Movies@Dungarvan cinema in Dúngarbhán. It’s a great film, and it’s no wonder it’s won a lot of awards so far, with maybe a few more to come!

‘An Cailín Ciúin’ was the first Irish language film to win the Irish Academy Award (IFTA) for best film. It received a total of 7 IFTAs. It also broke box office records in Ireland and Great Britain, earning around one million Euros to date, more than four times more than any other Irish language film ever.

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Colm Barrett creates a beautiful film

This film is a wonderful adaptation of the novel ‘Foster’ by Claire Keegan, and this lonely story is brought to life on the big screen in beautiful ways. Director/writer Colm and his team had to recreate rural life in Ireland in the nineteen eighties, and they did so effectively, down to the smallest detail like Bunny Carr on TV producing the show Quicksilver’ (hence the popular expression in Ireland: ‘Stop the lights!’). The use of Irish greatly adds to the atmosphere and authenticity of the film, without a doubt, and shows us that we are able to express things in Irish that cannot be done in the same way in English.

Selection of Actors

Catherine Clinch (twelve years old)’is remarkable in her first screen role as Cáit (nine years old). It’s a very difficult role, because this quiet girl doesn’t have much to say, and she has to use a wide range of facial expressions to tell the story. Despite how young Catherine is and that this is her first role, she demonstrates masterful acting.

Catherine’s family is struggling, surviving from hand to mouth. Worse than that, her father (Micheál Patric) is an alcoholic bully and her mother (Cáit Nic Cononaigh) is overwhelmed with family duties, and is now pregnant again. Cáit and Micheál do a good job as the dysfunctional parents in the film.

They put their daughter in the care of her mother’s cousin, Eibhlín (Carrie Crowley) and her husband, a quiet farmer, Seán (Andrew Bennett), in County Waterford. This is where most of the action in the film takes place, and Eibhlín and Andrew are great as foster parents, providing an exciting and nurturing environment for Cáit for the first time.

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An Plota

The Quiet Girl is set in 1981 in rural Ireland. Cáit is a girl who keeps her emotions suppressed, because her parents don’t care for her or love her, because they are too busy with their own problems. They are barely able to put food on the table, and as a result, they make the decision to leave Cáit with foster parents for the summer. At first Cáit locks her feelings deeper inside, but soon she develops and blossoms with her new family.

Cáit is not the only one who needs some time to adjust to the new lifestyle. Eibhlín and Seán handle it in different ways. Ebhlín welcomes Cáit in with open arms, and she feels immense sympathy for the young girl. But Seán shows a coldness to her at first, and it takes time for him to accept her into his heart. Eibhlín and Seán also have a big secret, but I won’t reveal it here – you have to see the film!

But as a result, Cáit and her foster parents have things to learn from each other as they rediscover what love means.

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Conclusion

Every frame in this truly magical film is a work of art. Kate McCullough did the cinematography for the film. She also did the cinematography on the TV series ‘Normal People’. She draws a stark contrast between Cáit’s family home (dark, gloomy) and her foster family home (bright, clean) to emphasize the plot itself. Together with a wonderful score from Stephen Rennicks, everything came together strongly so that Colm Barréad was able to overlay the story on that framework. I would give this worth-while, special film five out of five stars. If you haven’t already done so, I would recommend you go see ‘The Silent Girl”.

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Tháinig mé ar scannán le déanaí nuair a bhí mé ag brabhsáil ar líne. Phrioc sé m’aird mar chonaic mé go raibh Bord Scannán na hÉireann páirteach sa scannán seo, darb ainm ‘Maudie’, agus mar is duine fiosrach mé, bhí orm é an scannán seo a fheiceáil.  Is scannán deoirshilteach den chéad scoth atá i gceist.

Maudie ag lorg oibre

Tá an scannán bunaithe ar eachtraí a tharla sna tríochaidí agus sna daichidí sa chéad seo caite, i mbaile beag iargúlta darb ainm Marshalltown atá suite i Nova Scotia i gCeanada. Is í Maudie an príomhcharachtar, bean ina tríochaidí agus í craplaithe le hairtríteas le fada. Ag tús an scannáin, bhí Maudie ag cur faoi lena haintín agus a deartháir. Gan mhoill, áfach, tá sé soiléir go raibh caidreamh míshocair idir Maudie agus an bheirt eile.  Bhí deartháir Maudie tar éis teach a máthair a dhíol gan aon rud a rá le Maudie roimh ré. Bhí fearg uirthi faoi sin, agus dúirt sé gur thiomnaigh a máthair an teach dó. Níor thug a deartháir aird ar bith ar a hagóidí. Bhí a haintín i gcoinne stíl maireachtála Maudie, agus tar éis do Maudie teacht abhaile ó chóisir go déanach oíche amháin, bhí argóint mhór acu faoi sin. Deir Maudie lena haintín go bhfaigheadh sí post, ach níor chreid a haintín é sin. Bhí Maudie míshásta lena saol, agus chinn sí rud a dhéanamh faoi.

Nuair a bhí Maudie ag siopadóireacht uair amháin, tháinig mangaire iasc isteach sa siopa. Bhí cabhair ag teastáil uaidh sa bhaile, mar bhí sé róghnóthach obair tí a dhéanamh é féin. Scríobh an siopadóir fógra dó, agus chuir an mangaire suas é ar chlár fógraí sa siopa. Nuair a d’imigh an mangaire, rug Maudie ar a fhógra, agus tamall beag ina dhiaidh sin, shiúil sí go dtí teach an fhir ag lorg poist.

Fuair sí an post, agus de réir a chéile, shocraigh sí síos, cé nach raibh sé éasca réitigh le hEverett, an mangaire. Fear garbh, borb a bhí ann, ach tar éis tamaill d’éirigh sé níos báúla le Maudie. Faoi dheireadh, bhog sí isteach ina sheomra leapa, agus tá a fhios ag an saol Fódlach cad a tharla ina dhiaidh sin!

Maudie an t-ealaíontóir

Nuair a bhí sí óg, chuidíodh Maudie lena máthair cártaí Nollag a phéinteáil, agus dhíolaidís na cártaí ar 25 cent. Mar dhuine fásta ina cónaí sa teachín le hEverett, phéinteáil sí na ballaí loma, agus ansin thosaigh sí ag péinteáil ainmhithe agus plandaí ar na ballaí – féileacáin, ealaí agus tiúilipí san áireamh.

Lean sí ar aghaidh ag péinteáil, agus ar dtús rinne sí cártaí deasa do chustaiméirí Everett, agus ansin thóg an siopadóir cúpla ceann chun díol sa siopa. Ansin, thosaigh sí ag péinteáil pictiúir níos leithne. Níorbh acmhainn di canbhás a cheannach, agus mar sin phéinteáil sí a pictiúir ar ‘Beaverboard’, atá cosúil le plástarchlár.  Cheannaigh custaiméir a fir chéile pictiúir uaithi, agus choimisiúnaigh sí Maudie chun pictiúr a phéinteáil di, ar chostas $5.  

Roimh i bhfad, bhí Maudie ag díol a pictiúir ón teachín, ar phraghas $5.

Clú agus Cáil  

Scríobh iriseoir alt fúithi agus faoina scéal suimiúil, agus níorbh fhada ina dhiaidh sin gur tháinig na ceamaraí teilifíse ón stáisiún náisiúnta i gCeanada, CBC. Chuir CBC Maudie faoi agallamh a chraoladh ar fud na tíre. Thosaigh níos mó agus níos mó daoine ag teacht chun a pictiúir a cheannach, agus go luath bhí an t-éileamh chomh mór sin go raibh uirthi pictiúir a dhíol nach raibh fós tirim!  Tháinig clú agus cáil uirthi ansin, ach in ainneoin sin bhí Everett agus Maudie bocht go leor. Ní raibh leictreachas ná uisce reatha acu ach bhí Everett agus Maudie sásta lena saol ina ainneoin sin.

Sin cnámharlach an scéil, agus níor roinn mé gach rud leat ar eagla an scéal a mhilleadh!  

Conclusion  

Molaim duit an scannán seo gan aon agó!

Tá an aisteoireacht thar barr, agus róil dhúshlánacha ag Sally Hawkins agus Ethan Hawke araon, mar Maudie agus Everett.

Stiúrthóir Éireannach darb ainm Aisling Walsh a rinne an scannán. Rugadh Aisling i mBaile Átha Cliath, agus rinne sí staidéar san Institiúid Ealaíne, Deartha agus Teicneolaíochta Dún Laoghaire. Tar éis sin, d’fhreastail sí ar an Scoil Náisiúnta Scannán agus Teilifíse i Sasana.  

Maidir leis an teachín, bogadh é go dtí Dánlann Nova Scotia i Halifax, mar is saothar ealaíne é an teachín féin! Tá 55 pictiúr Maudie ar taispeáint go buan ann freisin.

Ar an drochuair, ní bhfaighidh tú aon phictiúir Maudie ar $5 níos mó. Díoladh ceann dá cuidse ar ceant ar phraghas níos mó ná $125,000!

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Fuair an scannán ‘Belfast’ ó Kenneth Branagh seacht n-ainmniúchán do na Golden Globes agus seacht n-ainmniúchán do ghradaim Oscar. Bhuaigh sé Golden Globe amháin (do scríbhinn Kenneth Branagh), agus ní bheidh na gradaim Oscar ar siúl go dtí deireadh mhí an Mhárta.

Ní raibh an dara rogha agam ach an scannán sin a fheiceáil agus bhí mé dóchasach go mbainfinn an-taitneamh as.  Ach go minic, ní mar a shíltear a bhítear, agus gan dabht, bhraith mé é sin go láidir faoin scannán ‘Belfast’. Bhí mé ag súil le rud amháin ach fuair mé rud eile ar fad. Mhothaigh mé gur buaileadh bob orm. Ach tá mé rud beag chun tosaigh orm féin.

Plota an Scannáin

Rugadh Kenneth Branagh in ‘Tiger’s Bay’ i dtuaisceart Bhéal Feirste go dtí go raibh sé naoi mbliana d’aois. Ansin, bhog siad go ‘Reading’ i Sasana chun éalú ón bhforéigean a bhí ar siúl – na Trioblóidí. Is saothar leath bheathaisnéise é an scannán, mar is buachaill é an príomhcharachtar Buddy (Jude Hill) do naoi mbliana d’aois sa bhliain 1969 – díreach cosúil le Branagh féin. Is trí chéadfaí Buddy a léirítear an scéal, agus sa tslí sin, cuireann Branagh a thaithí féin in iúl dúinn ón am sin. Bhí a theaghlach go léir ina gcónaí sa cheantar, agus ceantar bocht a bhí ann. Protastúnaigh a bhí iontu, agus bhí idir Phrotastúnaigh agus Chaitlicigh ina gcónaí taobh le chéile, agus ag tús an scannáin ní raibh aon fhadhb eatarthu. Ach ansin, tosaíonn na círéibeacha, eagraithe ag paraimíleataigh Phrotastúnacha a bhfuil ag iarraidh bata agus bóthar a thabhairt do Chaitlicigh sa cheantar. Feiceann tú saighdiúirí na Breataine ag cur ceisteanna ar na Caitlicigh freisin, agus iad ag tógáil bacán chun Protastúnaigh agus Caitlicigh a scaradh óna chéile. Cuireann ceannaire na bparaimíleatach brú ar athair Buddy cabhair a thabhairt dóibh ach ní aontaíonn sé chun é sin a dhéanamh. Faoi dheireadh, socraíonn a thuismitheoirí go raibh orthu imeacht go Sasana le Buddy. Roimhe sin, titeann Buddy i ngrá le cailín ar scoil, titeann sé i ngrá leis an scáileán mór, agus tá sé an-sásta a bheith ag fás aníos agus a ghaolta go léir in aice leis gach lá, agus go háirithe a sheantuismitheoirí. Ag deireadh an scannáin, tá tú in ann pian an bhuachalla óig a mhothú agus é chun a bheith scartha óna áit dúchais, óna ghaolta, óna chailín, agus óna shaol coitianta. Ach tá rudaí sa chathair ag éirí níos dainséaraí, agus cé nach bhfuil a fhios go maith ag Buddy faoi sin, tá sé soiléir dá thuismitheoirí, a dtuigeann nach bhfuil sé sábháilte dóibh fanacht níos mó.

Mo thuairim

Tá caighdeán teicniúil an-ard sa scannán agus feiceann tú tá lorg an scothcheardaí (Branagh) air. Úsáidtear cineamatagrafaíocht dhubh agus bhán agus uillinneacha an cheamara go héifeachtúil chun an scéal a thaispeáint duit, agus tá fuaimrian cumhachtach corraitheach le cloisteáil in amhráin iontacha Van Morrison. Tá an aisteoireacht go maith freisin, agus is aisteoir den chéad scoth é an buachaill Jude Hill i ról Buddy.  Déanann a thuismitheoirí (Caitríona Balfe agus Jamie Dornan) agus a sheantuismitheoirí (Judi Dench agus Ciarán Hinds) jab iontach freisin ó thaobh na haisteoireachta de.

Is é láidreacht agus laige an scannáin gur trí shúile Buddy a fheiceann tú an saol. Is láidreacht é nuair a bhaineann sé lena scéal féin.  Is rud draíochtach dúinn Buddy agus a theaghlach a fheiceáil ag an bpictiúrlann ag breathnú ar ‘One Million Years B.C.’ nó ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’, mar shampla. Cuireann sé i gcuimhne dúinn scannáin dhraíochtacha eile cosúil le ‘Cinema Paradiso’.  B’fhéidir go bhfuil Buddy ró-ghleoite uaireanta agus sa tslí sin cuireann sé i gcuimhne dom freisin an tsraith ‘The Wonder Years’, agus buachaill óg i Meiriceá ag teacht in aois sna seascaidí.  

Is é an fhadhb amháin atá agamsa ná go bhfuil an scannán ag iarraidh dá thrá a fhreastal, teacht in aois do Bhuddy, agus na Trioblóidí i dTuaisceart na hÉireann.   Cuireann an iarracht fiú píosa beag de scéal na dTrioblóidí a insint an fhírinne as a riocht, agus déanann Branagh simpliú ollmhór as an scéal. Tuigim go maith gur dearcadh bhuachalla óig a tá i gceist ach mar sin féin ceapaim go bhfuil an méid beag atá ann faoina dTrioblóidí míthreorach don lucht féachana. Níl cuntas tomhaiste nó cuntas iomlán léirithe dúinn sa tsliseog staire atá le feiceáil sa scannán seo.

Ach sin ráite agam, is mó atá dearfach ná atá diúltach i dtaca leis an scannán ‘Belfast’ agus mar sin, mholfainn duit é a fheiceáil.