Tá an-bhród ar Irish Film Festival London as an scannán Gaeilge seo a léiriú mar Cheiliúradh Oscailte ar #IFFL2021, i gcomhpháirtíocht le Conradh na Gaeilge i Londain. Éire, 1845 go gairid roimh an Ghorta Mhór, tógann Colmán Sharkey - iascaire, athair, fear céile - strainséir isteach ar iarratas ón sagairt áitiúil. Tagann Patsy, iarshaighdúir ó Chogaí Napoléon, díreach roimh an dúchan, galar a scriosfaidh barr prátaí na tíre sa deireadh, rud a chuireann le bás agus díláithriú na milliún. Agus na barra ag lobhadh sna garraithe, téann Colmán, a dheartháir, agus Patsy chuig teach an tiarna talún Sasanach chun bac a iarraidh ar ardú cíosanna.
D’fhág Arracht a rian ag Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in 2019, agus b’é togha Éireann don Best International Feature Film ag an 93ú Féile le haghaidh Duaiseanna an Acadaimh. Agus roinnt ainmniúcháin IFTA faighte aige chomh maith le buanna sna catagóirí Best Original Music agus Best Sound, ar an drochuair mhoilligh eisiúint an scannáin nuair a dhruid na pictiúrlanna in 2020. Anois tá muid bródúil go bhfuil sé le feiceáil mar chuid de IFFL 2021 agus mar chuid dá atheisiúint. Is comhartha é de chumhacht scannánaíochta in Éirinn, agus de chumas dramata na Gaeilge, a chuireann in iúl na rudaí is fearr a chaill an lucht féachana i rith gheimhriúcháin na scannánaíochta, agus iad ag filleadh amhail Colmán féin.
Irish Film Festival London is very proud to present this Irish language film as its Opening Gala for #IFFL2021 in association with Conradh na Gaeilge London.
Ireland, 1845 on the eve of The Great Hunger, Colmán Sharkey, a fisherman, a father, a husband, takes in a stranger at the behest of a local priest. Patsy, a former soldier in the Napoleonic wars arrives just ahead of 'the blight', a disease that eventually wipes out the country's potato crop, contributing to the death and displacement of millions. As the crops rot in the fields, Colmán, his brother and Patsy travel to the English Landlord's house to request a stay on rent increases.
Arracht first made its mark at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in 2019, and was Ireland’s selection for Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards. Scoring a string of IFTA nominations and wins for Best Original Music and Best Sound, its release was sadly affected by the closure of cinemas in 2020. Here, we proudly present it as part of IFFL 2021 as part of its re-release. It opens the festival this year as a statement to the power of Irish cinema, and the dramatic potential of the Irish language, but also represents the very best of what audiences may have missed during cinema’s hibernation period, emerging again like Colmán himself.