Fikri Jermadi takes in Tom Berkeley and Ross White’s Oscar-winning short film.

‘An Irish Goodbye’ begins with a long shot of the Northern Irish countryside the film is set in. It is a sight for sore eyes, the landscape boasting of its greatness as we settle down into the story. Knowing this could be an unfamiliar experience for many, the directors, Tom Berkeley and Ross White, laced Anthony Eve’s soundtrack with soft and nostalgic feels, making the unfamiliar just a little less so.

It is this wistful feeling for home (and the pull factors in between) that the film plays around with. We follow two brothers, Turlough (Seamous O’Hara) and Lorcan (James Martin). Turlough, based in London, is back for his mother’s funeral but wants to leave soon. Lorcan, his Down syndrome-afflicted sibling, wants him to stay longer, and reveals that their mother has a bucket list of things she didn’t have a chance of doing. Reluctantly, Turlough agrees to complete the list together, which is where the bulk of the film’s narrative take place.

In spite of that, ‘An Irish Goodbye’ does not proceed in a straightforward manner. Coming back to the opening scene, the and nostalgic feel mentioned earlier was harshly interrupted by a car coming across a dead animal in the middle of the road. After continuing with the journey, the sound of slamming doors cues the next scene. These disruptions of peace within the first three minutes sets the tone for the story, making us unsure of the next twist in the tail.

Similarly, Father O’Shea’s eccentricity adds brief and interesting comical interludes. “Is it just me, or is she still warm?” he asks when they’re at home, with the urn containing their mother’s ashes. In addition to being the first lines of dialogue spoken in the film, the fact that he asks such a question makes him not only suitable as an extra on ‘Father Ted’, but also suggests the gravity with which we should treat the story.

On that note, and somewhat paradoxically, I want to discuss some of the minor points which hints at the context the film is set in. The first is the piety of the Irish. Quite frankly, while religion is seen as a serious thing in real life, ‘An Irish Goodbye’ hints at a more light-hearted approach to the topic.

For instance, in addition to Father O’Shea’s quirkiness, one item on their mother’s list is to read a novel. This voiceover was accompanied with a shot of the brothers enjoying each other’s company as they read a copy of the Bible. Again, while this may not be something many would take lightly, it is difficult not to delight in the playfulness of the moment all the same.

Another corner of the bigger picture is the socio-economic discussion. Northern Ireland is indeed a part of the United Kingdom, but in terms of financial and economic opportunities, more investment has gone towards Britain (and to be precise, England as opposed to Scotland and Wales) in enhancing the chances of making it big there than elsewhere.

This led to an exodus of the best Irish talent in various industries, establishing themselves in places like London. Turlough’s willingness to sell the farm for a quick buck (driven also by a desire to return to the English capital) reflects this economic motivation. As such, Lorcan’s insistence on staying at the farm can be read as Ireland’s unwillingness to let go of its sons and daughters quite so easily.

Much of this comes out in the dinner scenes, a cinematic lineage which can be traced to films like Wong Kai Qi’s ‘Cherish, Love’. Here, the meal is a process through which the internal is externalised, whether through simple barbs about the lack of cooking skills (“Do people not cook in London?”) to more emotional outbursts accompanying major revelations.

This is captured nicely through Narayan Van Maele’s camerawork, with frontal shots placing us in the view of the characters. Such a direct point-of-view approach makes us feel as if we’re there; expanding the discussion of cinematic tradition beyond Southeast Asia, fans of Japanese cinema will also connect this to Yasujiro Ozu’s tatami shots.

There is also a balance between the joyful bucket list process and the emotional weight of the story. This comes through the montage of their actions together, as they also take their mother’s urn with them. Coupled with the light-hearted soundtrack, it anchors ‘An Irish Goodbye’ in a more positive light; though deeper readings could be made, this remains a joyful and appealing short film to watch.

The film benefits from focusing on the brothers’ relationship. Lorcan’s difference here could have been treated as a heavy weight on his shoulders, but it instead became a launching point of his strong character, pushing both of them towards a more interesting conflict. His aptitude and attitude suggest someone far more capable than his older brother (and society at large) give him (and them) credit for.

This last point is extraneous to the film itself, but ‘An Irish Goodbye’ was feted at the 2023 Academy Awards as the Best Live Action Short Film. This is an increasingly celebrated category, with a growing trend of established actors and filmmakers making their mark. This year’s winner, for instance, is Wes Anderson’s ‘The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar’, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley and Richard Ayoade.

In 2022, it was ‘The Long Goodbye’, with Riz Ahmed plastered all over the poster. The year prior to that, Oscar Isaac’s ‘The Letter Room’ was nominated. While there’s nothing wrong with well-known actors and filmmakers stretching their creative muscles, I am always more interested in seeing the visions of newer filmmakers, and have always seen this category as a platform for that.

As such, I am more partial to the likes of Marshall Curry’s ‘The Neighbor’s Window’ and ‘Skin’ by Guy Nattiv. That ‘An Irish Goodbye’ is a crowdfunded film also adds to the feel that this is truly a film I can get behind, intended more as a community storytelling exercise and less as a marketing gimmick. All this and more makes this film something worthy to say hello to.

‘An Irish Goodbye’ won the Best Live Action Short Film award at the 2023 Academy Awards and the BAFTA Award for Best Short Film at the 2023 British Academy Film Awards. You can watch the film on Vimeo on Demand.

Featured image credit: Aigars Jansons / Pexels