Against the vibrant background of Cork’s cityscape, Christy (Danny Power) is ageing out of care, and as his 18th birthday draws ever closer, he finds himself caught between two worlds. This feature debut from director Brendan Canty evolved from a short of the same name. Now, with this longer medium, Canty finds strong footing while breathing extended life into this ensemble of authentic, complex characters.
After being kicked out of his latest foster home, Christy moves in with his estranged half-brother Shane (Diarmuid Noyes), as well as his newborn daughter and wife Stacey (Emma Willis). Shane agrees reluctantly, insisting that this is merely temporary arrangement until Christy lands back on his feet.
As Christy reconnects with the inner-city community where he lived as a child, he soon makes a cohort of new friends, and even finds work cutting hair. He spends his day giving clients the 'Christy special' in a local business owned by family friend Pauline (Helen Behan). We see this young man fitting back into a place he left years before. The struggles of his life, and dealings in the foster system, nip at his heels – not quite an antagonistic threat but certainly an ever-present issue. Meanwhile, on the periphery, seedy players of his past threaten to dig up more than just ghosts.
Christy boasts a superb visual language. Director of Photography Colm Hogan frames this rich story, city and actors with naturalistic, characterful visuals. Via TRIBE7's social media, Hogan notes: “Every individual in the film we treated as portraiture. We used no outdoor lighting, bounce boards, fills or negative fills, we just chose to shoot at the right time of the day when the sun was where we wanted it to be.” He drives the intimacy of this story with the film’s 3:2 aspect ratio, framing faces close to the camera, celebrating the spectrum of emotions from this talented young cast.
This bittersweet script by Alan O’Gorman captures the fine detail of personality and choice. There’s a warmth to O’Gorman’s writing that never passes judgement on Christy or Shane, but observes and presents consequences without comment. There is a sense of reality to the storytelling of Christy, and a deep understanding and empathy for the psyche of these vulnerable male characters.
Over the 94 minutes, we see these two brothers laugh, cry, break down, shout and wear their emotions, as the pressures of adulthood close in around them. Yet make no mistake, Christy is no sombre affair. This is a feature bursting with humour and delivered via sharp, witty dialogue. An eclectic array of musical genres underpins this too. Composer Daithí delivers his score, blending karaoke tunes and hip-hop beats with low, melancholy strings.
A festival success, Christy screened at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Transylvania International Film Festival and Galway Film Fleadh. There it won Best Irish Feature to sit next to the coveted Grand Prix prize they picked up at Berlinale for their premiere.
Christy peels away the constructed realities of privilege, with a beautifully observed slice of life. This is a powerhouse debut not only from Canty but also from the young lead, Danny Power. There’s a raw freshness to their voices and collaboration. Christy is the sort of first feature that makes you excited - not just to see where these talented creatives go - but for the promising future of indie cinema.
Christy is in cinemas 29th August 2025.
