Director: George Voronov
Producer: Craig Connolly
Cinematographer: Evan Barry
Screenplay: Karen Cogan
Original Score: James Vincent McMorrow
Narration: Gemma Dunleavy
Post Producer: Killian Connolly
Editor: Gar O Rourke
As part of a specially commissioned piece for To Be Irish, we’ve paired writers up with visual artists to bring together different perspectives on what it means to be Irish at Christmas. The final piece to be released ahead of Christmas is Homecoming, a short film written by Karen Cogan that features an original score from James Vincent McMorrow and narration from Gemma Dunleavy.
In the short film, an Irish woman in London is caught in a reverie as she contemplates the fact that she will not be able to return home for Christmas. Meanwhile, back in Ireland, the world is left empty without her presence.
Speaking on the piece, director George Voronov said, “Karen’s script really resonated with me because it cut to the core of how we relate to Christmas time.”
“The idea of Christmas is a mosaic that is made up of countless fragments of memories. It’s never any one single thing. It’s a complex combination of moments and emotions; every hug, every cuddle, every cup of tea. They all coalesce to become more than the sum of their parts. The feeling of the video was informed by my own friends that I’ll be missing this Christmas. My hope is that it will resonate with those around the world who are also missing their loved ones at a time that is so much about being together.”
Watch Homecoming below:
To Be Irish aims to be a virtual hub for sharing the joy of being Irish at special moments throughout the year. People are also encouraged to share their stories of what it means to be Irish at Christmas by tweeting and using the #ToBeIrish hashtag.