Deirdre

This is so compelling joyous ,charming chilling and heartrending all in the same film . I was cheering Deirdre on as she finally stood up for herself. The empathy for the main character is instant but there is also compassion for the deeply flawed and damaged mother figure. It captures the carefree spirit of young love constrained by the fear and guilt of the grown ups .The setting, the actors and the story are so poignant powerful and moving. A timeless legend lived out in the lives of ordinary people in a small town. I would love to see this become a longer story as it feels like there is much more ro tell.

A dark Irish love story set in the 1970s in rural Ireland. The coming of age of a young girl surrounded by fear, religion and pain. Inspired by folklore, the mystical traveler community tempt Deirdre into a world she has never known.

To say this film is "inspired by folklore" is almost putting it too mildly. In fact, a voice-over at one point makes it very plain that the story being told -- while set in the 1970s -- is actually a timeless tale, or the exploration of a prophecy from a time before time itself.

Only so much can be said about a film 15 minutes in length, but it is clear that the director has succeeded in two things. One, we are shown a rich, vibrant world that is both distinctly Irish and also all its own. We are exposed to religious repression, and a yearning for love and freedom. These feelings are captured and beautifully portrayed.

More importantly, perhaps, we are given enough to be considering an enticing sample, but not enough to satiate our hunger. Personally, I was lured in by the luscious cinematography and the promise of folklore come to life. But at 15 minutes this is not fully explored. And yet, I think this is exactly the point, because it appears that the director's next project is full-length treatment of the Deirdre narrative. If this short film was intended to display the talents of those involved, and get people excited for a fuller exploration, it succeeds in spades.