Poitín + intro

We will be joined by filmmaker Sé Merry Doyle and actor and Irish-language tutor Pádraig Ó Loingsigh of The Irish Cultural Centre Hammersmith to place Poitín in context.

A very rare chance to see the first feature film produced in the Irish language, Poitín tells the story of moonshiner Michil (Cyril Cusack), who lives the quiet life with his daughter tending to his stills on his remote farm in Connemara. He relies on two ne’er-do-wells to get the black market drams to the people, but following a brush with the law, they plan to double-cross him. But Michil has more than a few dark tricks up his sleeve.

More than just a pioneering film, Poitín is also a masterclass in building atmosphere, with an authentic, unsettling sense of place. Full of characterful faces and great performances from non-actors, sitting alongside Irish acting royalty like Cyril Cusack (Odd Man Out) and Donal McCann (The Dead), Poitín deserves a place alongside folk horror classics, while also showing a memorable vision of rural Ireland miles away from Emerald Isle clichés.

Explore the full Irish Language Cinema Season here.

This screening is presented in collaboration with the Irish Film Institute’s IFI International Programme supported by Culture Ireland.