WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
WATCH THE FILM HERE with all proceeds going to the filmmakers!
First, the Recap:
The currents of life and the rivers of our human connections upon which they flow. We experience the depth of this existence through all the facets that make it up–the people whom we call friends, co-workers, neighbors to those that are our families, the toil of our hands and the myriad of professions that are represented, to the goals we aspire to, the longings we have, the anxieties about what the future may or may hold. Following the daily routines on a construction site and beyond of a son (Denis Hilmer), an elderly worker (Liam Cotter), a husband (Louis Jacob), a builder (Colin Hickey), a worker (Richard O’Connor), a young mother (Fiona Kelly), a young woman (Orla Gleeson), and a young man (Shane Corcoran) as they strive to balance work, life, love, family, the past, the present, and what might lie ahead.
Next, my Mind:
I will begin by straight up stating that it would be a challenge to consider a dramatic feature film, executed with a mix of both fictional and documentary stylings over the course of its 70-minute runtime, to be engaging when there is no spoken dialogue whatsoever, the characters contained within a visual scope and manner augmented only by the project’s music score, and it would remain solidly captivating, wholly evocative, and worth the time to invest viewing it. Well, it this critic’s pleasure to announce that it IS not only possible, but it has been made real thanks to this boldly different feature film from writer/director/producer/editor/cinematographer Colin Hickey and producer Monica Lucia Navarro that screened as one of only two feature-length items at the 2020 Berlin Revolution Film Festival.
A stroke of indie film brilliance in choosing to present its soul-stirring narrative in such a fashion, the story of these individuals are their journeys of life that ultimately meld together on a building site in County Cork, Ireland, the film spins a tale via poignant, purposeful imagery of foundations, structures, walls, concrete, bricks, cranes, and other tools of the trade and intertwines it without the beauty of sunrises, sunsets, birds chirping, nights where people spend time lying awake and contemplating about all that their dreams, fears, joys, and labors. Add to this gorgeous Irish countrysides, misty lakes, shadows on walls, sounds of mixers, hammers, saws, and even objects that represent how times of rest during the day are approached through teapots, radios, newspapers, and smoking. It’s the illustration of generations, fathers and sons, brothers, husband and wives and their children, day in and day out, the routine remains constant, with rural homes being the norm outside the building site.
Yet, amongst all the steadiness and hard work, there are moments of true tranquility, whether relaxing at the local pub/eatery, games of darts, or peace by the seaside where instances of reverie and interconnectedness reside. It is life forming, being chipped away at then smoothed over, a portrait of work and life braided together, making up the whole. It’s thoughts unspoken but expressed, dreams and ambitions, relationships, marriage, kids, and depth of love, proving we aim to work hard for those we cherish and desire to provide for, appreciating what we are blessed with, treasuring it, relishing it. Yet, there could be the questions that arise from examining this reality–What do I want? Who do I wish to be? IS this what I wish for? Am I content? What can I build for my family? What legacy can I leave? It’s the bonds of friendship and navigating what some have achieved that others have yet to.
What a tapestry is created here, not just through the lush, impactful visuals, but also through the effort’s equally vivid and profound music score and its mix of orchestral and cathedral choir-based compositions, which masterfully weaves a VERY emotive, atmospheric ambiance and accompanies the images perfectly. It is watching some things, old and frail, falling to pieces while other things become refreshed and rebuilt. Faith, less, the future, encapsulated apprehensions, doubts, isolation, acceptance, choices, consequences, and redemption, all of it a part of climbing the literal and figurative ladders this narrative takes on through the people we view, everything they are laid bare to the viewer. It’s sometimes easy to forget this IS a fictional work, for as mentioned above, this film displays a very documentary-esque tone, which to me is what makes the story stay with you, causing that introspective mentality to take over throughout and even after the film’s finale.
All the actors listed above truly do work as one cohesive ensemble cast and team, each so beautifully enacting their specific character’s demeanor to full effect, thanks to simple, understated, yet emotionally viable, believable, and natural body language and facial expressions. It’s almost like someone literally took a camera into the construction site the film takes place in and just started shooting for days, capturing every possible nuance they could, and depicting these regular, down-to-earth workers just as they are. I was highly impressed with them all, no exaggeration, and so I give an all-around, shout it to the mountaintops “BRAVO!!” to Hilmer, Cotter, Jacob, Hickey (for more reasons that just the character he plays in this case), O’Connor, Kelly, Gleeson, and Corcoran for their performances and helping to elevate this film to a level I originally wasn’t sure would be possible at feature length runtime. A quick shout out to appearances by Clara Rose Hickey & Thomas Hickey as well.
Also, I fully acknowledge all the other actors who had supporting appearances here as well, too many to mention at the moment, but this by no means lessens their participation or contributions. Please know I see you and thank you for your work! So, in total, “The Evening Redness In The South” became another particular standout for me at BRFF this year, and I can only hope all viewers will be impacted by the true artistry and heart-tugging sentiments and important life lessons this film offers. For as I have mentioned aplenty before, it’s this kind of human connection we all need more of. Let’s make it happen.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
Saw it on the big screen at the Cork film festival and loved it. Fully support all said here. It made me ache with both the beauty and the sadness.
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