On Thursday, the 16th of March the Transition Year students went to the Irish Film Institute to watch the new short story “An Cailin Ciuin''. It is about a girl who lives with her parents and she doesn’t get treated very well. Her dad is a gambler and a drunk. He also has abusive tendencies. Her mam is pregnant and can't do much around the house which makes life difficult for them because they have a lot of children.
To take some of the weight off their shoulders, they send one of their children down to stay with her Aunt and Uncle, ‘the Kinsellas’ for a while. She arrives at her Aunt and Uncle’s house and her father leaves without so much as a goodbye. To make matters worse, he left with her suitcase so now she has no clothes.
Mrs Kinsella told her not to worry about it and went in and got her washed up. This was the first time she had a bath all to herself, usually she had to share a bath with her family. After her bath she changed into fresh, new clothes.
She then began to help around the farm, which took Mr Kinsella by surprise.
After a while, the girl began to settle with the Kinsellas and actually started to like it there. But just when everything was going well, she found out something about the Kinsellas. She found out that they had a son that died. Now she understands why they took her in.
She has now been with the Kinellas for a few months and she is really comfortable here, until a letter arrives at the house from her mother saying she has to return home. She doesn’t want to go back but her Aunt and Uncle say that she has to so they bring her home. But before the Kinsellas leave…
This movie is a slow burner, and while there is a lack of action, it is filled with emotion and the longer the movie goes on, the more you start to really sympathize for the girl.
An Cailin Ciuin also portrays rural Ireland beautifully and if someone watched it that wasn't from Ireland, they would get a good idea of Irish culture.
We would personally give the film 4/5.
Cian Burke & Jack Luby - TY Press