THE RETURN of the Galway Film Fleadh took place on Tuesday, with the amazing weather coinciding with a massively ambitious outdoor/indoor programme.
The Fleadh’s opening film is the excellent Northern Irish thriller, Here Before. The always brilliant Andrea Riseborough plays Laura, a young mum in Antrim who lives with her husband and teenage son. She lost her daughter Josie in a road accident a few years ago but the family seem to be doing OK, all things considered.
A new family moves in next-door with a little girl named Megan, who would be the same age as Josie. Megan gravitates to Laura and appears to have a connection with her. Several times she mentions having been there before or something that Josie would have enjoyed. Laura starts to wonder if she is her reincarnated daughter.
Riseborough brings a brilliant manic energy to Laura that is both visible, yet well hidden beneath a calm exterior - she has always been an intriguing performer and she is given a lot to work with here.There is a moment where we slip into a montage. At this point in the film it goes from a good movie to a great movie. Until then it is a purposefully slow build, but from that point on Laura really believes Megan is Josie and the lack of support from her husband and son (including a fair amount of gaslighting ) sets up the final act.
'Ireland does not have massive budgets for films, but we have terrific actors and writers. This is a great example of small intimate thrillers that we can produce really well'
Here Before is a beautifully made film by first time feature director Stacey Gregg. The film is framed in an unusual way - uncomfortable angles, and much duplicity, such as Laura and Megan's houses being attached and mirroring each other exactly.
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It is easy to compare Here Before to great pedophobic thrillers like The Babadook or Don’t Look Now, but the film really reminded me of another genre bending thriller/horror that came out two years ago called Make Up. Sadly not on streaming but would make a great double bill with this.
Ireland - Republic and North - does not have massive budgets for films, but we have terrific actors and writers. This is a great example of small intimate thrillers that we can produce really well. Here Before is a brilliant start to the festival with plenty more to come.
