Caoineadh Áirt Uí Laoire

If the Irish are 'a figment of the American imagination' (B.Q. 1995)

what, then, is an Irish film?

In 1975 a film was made in Ireland which suggested a different kind of Irish Cinema.

That film was Lament for Art O'Laoire (Caoineadh Áirt Uí Laoire).

"CAOINEADH AIRT UI LAOIRE is the breakthrough I, at least, have been waiting for - the first completely native-produced movie that seems capable of holding its own with the best of the world's new cinema. It is a timely reminder that the future of Irish movies need not lie in the stereotyped cliches of the American and British commercial system which currently dominates what the cinemas show. CAOINEADH AIRT UI LAOIRE shows that movies in Ireland are possible without any Government support and without studio facilities. It shows that the future of cinema for us may well be a matter of looking at ourselves rather than in trying to ape Hollywood by manipulating the preconditioned responses of audiences with contrived formulae.' (Ciaran Carty, Sunday Independent 9/11/1975). "

The new, Digitally Remastered version of

Lament for Airt O'Laoire

can be ordered from this link : Filmography and DVDs

(More information about this film)