INTERNATIONAL STORY FILM DIRECTOR HOPES MEN WILL OPEN UP ABOUT DEPRESSION BY CLAIRE CAO Director Martin McDonagh reunites co-stars Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell as two lifelong friends who fall out, to comedic and tragic effect. IN THE YEAR 1923, right after the establishment of the Irish Free State, civil turmoil continues to rage across Ireland. But on Inisherin, a remote, fictional island off the west coast, the townsfolk couldn’t care less about that conflict. Though they can glimpse the gun smoke across the harbor, they’re mostly untouched by it, happily tending to their farms and hanging at the local pub. The war that eventually upends their lives – forcing them to choose sides, bloody their hands, and face death – is much closer to home. It starts with something simple: a breakup. The Banshees of Inisherin is British-Irish director Martin BRENDAN GLEESON AND COLIN FARRELL IN THE FILM THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN. PHOTO BY JONATHAN HESSION. COURTESY OF SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES. © 2022 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED McDonagh’s first feature since Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), which won the Golden Globe and BAFTA awards for Best Picture and earned Oscars for its stars Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell. Banshees takes McDonagh back to his roots, telling the tale of morose Colm (Brendan Gleeson) and self-proclaimed “happy lad” Pádraic (Colin Farrell). One day, Colm abruptly stops speaking to his lifelong friend, deeming the airheaded Pádraic “too dull”. The situation starts off funny, as the men try, and fail, to avoid each other. But when McDonagh’s signature bleak wit kicks in, the Civil War plaguing the mainland becomes an apt metaphor for the intimate devastation that follows. “Having the mirroring aspect of the Civil War – showing how a simple dispute between two men or two sides can escalate into something that gets worse and worse, where unforgivable things happen – was definitely something I wanted to bring out,” says McDonagh. “Capturing the truth of the sadness of a breakup was what I was going for, and I think the actors pulled it off beautifully. It’s quite heartbreaking what they came up with.” Banshees reunites Gleeson and Farrell, 14 years after they starred together in McDonagh’s hitman classic In Bruges (2008). The latter film, which similarly followed close Irish friends stranded in a quaint locale, was beloved for its pitch-dark mix of humor and violence. “We felt like it would be great to do it again,” says McDonagh. “Not repeat the same thing but to make something that an In Bruges fan would love equally, and to take them on a different, stranger journey.” The long-held affection between Gleeson and Farrell, and McDonagh, made it an organic shoot. “They’re very open to being vulnerable on screen. They’re very funny, they’re very kind to me. They’re just a joy to be around. But on screen it was about getting to the truth of these two egos and painting Continued on page 4 HOW TO HELP The money we take in from vendors helps us cover a portion of our printing costs, but we depend largely on donations from individuals, businesses, and foundations to help us pay our rent and keep the lights on. 1 4 GET THE WORD OUT We rely on grassroots marketing to get the word out about what we do. Talk to people about our organization and share us with your network. Support us on DONATE Donations to the Denver VOICE are tax-deductible. Go to denvervoice.org to give a one-time or recurring donation. You can also mail a check to: Denver VOICE | P.O. Box 1931 | Denver, CO 80201 3 VOLUNTEER We need volunteers to help with everything from newspaper distribution to event planning and management. Contact program@denvervoice.org for volunteering information. 5 SUBSCRIBE If you are unable to regularly purchase a newspaper from our vendors, please consider a subscription. We ask subscribers to support our program with a 12-month pledge to give $10 a month, or a one-time donation of $120. Subscriptions help us cover our costs AND provide an amazing opportunity to those who need it most. Go to denvervoice.org/subscriptions for more information. @denverVOICE 2 ADVERTISE Our readership is loyal, well-educated, and socially concerned. Readers view purchasing the paper as a way to immediately help a person who is poor or homeless while supporting long-term solutions to end poverty. If you are interested in placing an ad or sponsoring a section of the paper, please contact us about rates at ads@denvervoice.org. January 2023 DENVER VOICE 3
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