The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)

The Banshees of Inisherin is a black tragicomedy film written, directed, and produced by Martin McDonagh. It stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as Pádraic and Colm, two lifelong friends who live on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland. Their friendship is shattered when Colm abruptly stops talking to Pádraic, who becomes obsessed with finding out why and restoring their bond. Kerry Condon plays Pádraic’s sister Siobhán, who tries to help her brother, and Barry Keoghan plays Dominic, a troubled young islander who gets involved in their conflict.

The film is set in 1923, during the Irish Civil War, and explores themes such as loyalty, betrayal, violence, and forgiveness. It also features music by Irish folk singers and bands, such as The Chieftains, The Dubliners, and Sinéad O’Connor. The film was inspired by McDonagh’s own Irish heritage and by the paintings of Jack B. Yeats2. The film was shot on location in Ireland and England in 2021.

The film had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival on 5 September 2022, where it won the Golden Lion for Best Film and the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for Farrell. It received widespread critical acclaim, with praise for McDonagh’s script and direction, the performances of the cast, and Carter Burwell’s score. It was nominated for nine Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Farrell), Best Supporting Actor (Gleeson and Keoghan), Best Supporting Actress (Condon), and Best Original Screenplay. It also won four BAFTAs, including Outstanding British Film and Best Original Screenplay.