The Filmmaking Duo Behind Oscar Nominated Short ‘An Irish Goodbye’ On Balancing “Tragedy and Comedy”
04.03.2023 - 06:07
/ deadline.com
It’s not easy to tackle a gruesome subject matter with humor. And to make the Irish dark comedy work, its filmmakers drew inspiration from their own ideations of life and death. An Irish Goodbye, written and directed by Tom Berkeley and Ross White, follows a pair of estranged brothers who must learn to get along after their mother’s untimely passing. Lorcan (James Martin), an adult with Down syndrome, takes his mother’s death the hardest and soon fears that his brother will abandon him. While Turlough (Seamus O’Hara) grapples with whether he should ship Lorcan off to live with their aunt in London or learn to care for his brother. Though death is not a revolutionary topic in the cinematic medium, the unique and heartfelt way Berkeley and White explore grief through centering on the unusual brotherhood is poignant. Fresh off of a BAFTA win and headed to the Oscars, the filmmakers discuss their inspiration, casting actors with disabilities and creating a sentimental exploration of love and grief.
DEADLINE: What was the inspiration behind this short?
TOM BERKELEY: Ross and I had been living together for a long time in London, and we decided to move back to our hometowns. I moved back to Gloucester in the West Country of England; Ross moved back to Belfast in Northern Ireland. So, the themes of leaving home, returning home and being flung back into the family unit we were once a part of were prevalent in our minds at the time.
Then, I happened to go to a football [soccer] match, and I saw these two adult brothers, a couple rows ahead of me, watching the game, and I found their relationship very interesting. The younger brother had Down syndrome and the older brother was there as a caretaker. [I noticed their dynamic] was a
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