Penance (Irish: Aithrí) is a 2018 historical drama film directed by Tom Collins and set in Ulster during 1916 and 1969.[1] It stars Peter Coonan as an Irish nationalist Catholic priest who recruits a boy to the cause, only to regret his actions decades later.[2][3][4]
| Penance | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover | |
| Directed by | Tom Collins |
| Screenplay by | Tom Collins Greg O'Braonain |
| Based on | "Seacht mBua an Éirí Amach" by Pádraic Ó Conaire |
| Produced by | Tom Collins Edwina Forkin |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Ciarán Tanham |
| Edited by | Dermot Diskin |
| Music by | Pól Brennan |
Production companies | De Facto Films Zanzibar Films |
| Distributed by | Starline Entertainment |
Release date |
|
Running time | 84 minutes |
| Countries | Ireland United Kingdom |
| Languages | Irish English |
Production
editPenance was filmed in Ramelton, County Donegal and Derry, Northern Ireland and is primarily in the Irish language. Filming in Derry took place at St Columba's Church, Long Tower, on Bishop Street and Society Street, as those areas had changed little since the 1960s.[5]
It was based on the Pádraic Ó Conaire story "Seacht mBua an Éirí Amach" ("Seven Virtues of the [Easter] Rising").
Production was financed by TG4, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, the Irish Film Board (€150,000), the Irish Language Broadcast Fund, Northern Ireland Screen and Section 481.[6][7]
Plot
editDerry, 1969. Catholic priest Fr. Eoin McDonnell prevents the arrest of Antaine, a senior Irish Republican Army commandant. Fr. Eoin casts his mind back to rural County Donegal in 1916, when he recruited a teenage Antaine into the Irish independence movement.[8]
Cast
edit1916
edit- Peter Coonan as Fr. Eoin McDonnell (young)
- Padhraig Parkinson as Antaine (young)
- Barry Barnes as Inspector Joyce
- Mimi Carroll as Mairéad
- Diona Doherty as Ellie Nic Shiubhlaigh
- Dara Devaney as Peadar
1969
edit- Terry Byrne as Fr. Eoin McDonnell (old)
- Gerard McSorley as Murray
- Barry McGovern as Antaine (old)
- Corey McKinley as Feidhlím
Release
editPenance was released on 1 May 2018.
The film received its TV premiere on TG4 on 20 April 2019.[9]
References
edit- ^ "Manchester Irish Language Arts Festival 2018". www.mancirishlang.org.uk.
- ^ "Penance (2018)" – via www.blu-ray.com.
- ^ Flynn, Roddy; Tracy, Tony (9 August 2019). Historical Dictionary of Irish Cinema. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781538119587 – via Google Books.
- ^ Clarke, Stewart (28 March 2018). "Starline Boards Tom Collins' Irish Feature 'Penance' (EXCLUSIVE)".
- ^ "Filming under way in Derry for '˜Penance' film". www.derryjournal.com. 4 October 2016.
- ^ "Aithrí / Penance | The Irish Film & Television Network". www.iftn.ie.
- ^ "For Your Bhreithniú". 9 April 2019.
- ^ "Tom Collins' Aithrí/Penance to premiere on TG4 on Easter Sunday". Scannain. 10 April 2019.
- ^ "Irish language feature film 'Aithrí' to premiere on TG4 this Easter". TG4.[permanent dead link]