It’s 1981. Cáit, a neglected child lives with her mother and thuggish father on an impoverished Irish smallholding. Her mother is expecting a baby and Cáit is sent to stay with her mother’s cousin, who from the start wraps her in love and tenderness. The shift in how Cait’s treated is captured with great sensitivity by first-time director Colm Bairéad who shows us everything we need to know in well-chosen, wordless moments. The stage may be small and its beautifully acted characters unable to speak their emotions, but this is a film that packs a punch, both in its powerful storytelling and excellent cinematography.
