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WHEN I DECIDED to make Pilgrim Hill, for me it was not about winning awards, being visually stylish or trying to be loud and stand out from the crowd with my debut feature film. For me it was about telling the story of my uncle, who is a bachelor farmer living in rural Ireland.
Like many people, I have an uncle/aunt who lives alone in rural Ireland, and although the film has very few similarities to my uncle’s life, I always wondered how tough it must be to face life alone. There are a huge number of people living alone across Ireland right now that feel incredibly isolated and lonely. I wanted to explore how they must feel sometimes in their situation whether in rural or urban Ireland.
I wanted to know how they felt about their siblings moving on, having families, and how that affected them. I also wanted to explore their loneliness and isolation, and knowing you will be alone for the rest of your life. I wanted to know what it feels like not to leave a child behind to carry on your legacy. I wanted to find out what they sacrificed in their own lives to get to where they are now, so that in some cases their siblings could go on, better themselves and have families.
I think deep down these are all things we fear, being alone and isolated and not having anyone to live out our life with. The done ‘thing’ in our world is – you meet someone that you choose to spend the rest of your life with, have kids, and live out your life together until inevitably the light goes off for one. In a long-term relationship, I think we all fear that and what it would be like if your partner was not there any more. But for some people life is not as easy as that – life, health, work, commitments, and sometimes fear – get in the way of people moving on to do those things.
In terms of why people find themselves alone, it all comes down to various circumstances, with some even beyond their control. Jimmy, the main character in Pilgrim Hill, is a victim of circumstance. His mother died when he was very young and he found himself at home caring for his father who is seriously ill. Their relationship is very much in tatters also. He’s trapped. Jimmy feels the need to hold onto home and maybe feels responsible for minding his father, even if that has a massive effect on his own personal life. Jimmy had the chance to marry and set up his own life, but felt he could not leave home and had a duty to mind his father.
I also wanted to explore how tough it is for farmers right now in Ireland. It’s late April and no cattle are out in the fields. This is a serious issue as farmers are eating into the feed for winter coming, not a mind putting major financial strains on themselves and their families. What farmers fear most is their cattle getting a critical disease, meaning all of them need to be slaughtered so the disease cannot get into the food chain. But for every positive, you have a negative also. Farmers cannot operate their farms for most of a year. Income is down, meaning an impact on their family lives. To a farmer, seeing empty fields and sheds is painful.
On our family farm at home, I witnessed at a very young age the impact that has. I was very young, maybe nine or ten. In the height of winter I went down the farm yard one night with my father and a cow had triplets for the first time. It’s a big deal if you come from a farm, a rarity, some even say a miracle. It was beautiful to witness such a thing and the three baby calves come into the world. My mother was watching on the calving monitor above at home from the kitchen.
That night we knew our cattle had contracted a disease and the following morning they were taken away to be slaughtered, including the three baby triplet calves. Cows going into the lorry were even calving, calves half hanging out. It was horrible to think that calves were being born in a slaughter lorry knowing that their only bit of life was going to be there until they were killed a few hours later. It was the first time I saw my father get emotional. I will never forget it. The reality is this happens on a daily basis in rural Ireland to farmers.
I was incredibly lucky to find an amazing actor in Joe Mullins who just captivates the screen as Jimmy, as well as the supporting cast and my marvellous crew of three. Since the film premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh in 2012, we have travelled across the world with it from the UK, America, Europe and Asia. The film has connected with audiences wherever it has been, and the reason I think so is because loneliness is a universal feeling whether you are in Ireland or Asia.
With that, I think the world right now is a very lonely place for a lot of people, whether it is personal loneliness or financial loneliness. We all have felt it, either are feeling it and will undoubtedly feel it in the future when loved ones move on. The past eight months have been much more than we could have ever hoped for. We received tremendous support from the Irish Film Board and Element Distribution who really got supported the film.
Pilgrim Hill is not an easy film to watch, I am the first to admit that. Saying that, I am also unapologetic about that because I wanted to go deep and explore how this must feel for someone in modern Ireland. I broke a lot of rules making this film, but rules are meant to be broken, you just have to choose when and make sure it’s for the right reasons. Jimmy the main characters talks openly about his feelings to the audience, as in narrating his own story. I wanted to have the person you would least expect talking openly about their feelings, a bachelor farmer in rural Ireland. We don’t talk enough about how we feel in this country and that sometimes sadly ends in tragedy.
If the film has any impact, then I hope it will motivate people to call in and see their neighbours, aunts, or uncles who live alone. It costs nothing, but it means the world to them to know there is somebody there. Life’s journey is tough, but it’s a tougher journey if you walk it alone.
One of the most poignant lines in the film is when Jimmy says “If I was to die and meet the person I could have been. Instead of the person I am now”. I think we all wonder “what if” sometimes.
(EPDistribution/YouTube)
Gerard Barrett is a 25-year-old writer/director from Listowel in Kerry. He made Pilgrim Hill in late 2011 over seven days after finishing college. He won the IFTA Rising Star Award in 2013 and subsequently signed with Martin Scorsese agent in WME Los Angeles after the film had its North American premiere at the prestigious Telluride Film Festival where he received the Great Expectation Award. The film also won Best New Irish Talent at the Galway Film Fleadh. Pilgrim Hill is in cinemas across Ireland.
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We saw the film in Tralee. It is a remarkable film made on a very low budget. It portrays longstanding problems of loneliness, isolation, poverty and insecurity in rural Ireland. At times it is slow moving and tedious but so is life on a small farm. Overall it is an amazing achievement by a young Kerryman.
Lovely article about the sad reality of the life he portrays in his movie. Would love to see Pilgrim Hill sometime.
I haven’t seen the movie, but this article is very powerful, thought provoking and moving. Well done I say.
Fair dues. Hope I can catch it in London again.
Well done Gerard Brennan for highlighting so well the pain of loneliness and isolation in rural Ireland. I heard a clip from the film on RTE Radio’s Countrywide last week. It was the scene where Jimmy is stopped and breathalysed by a Garda on his way home from the pub. It reminded me of the derision that Danny Healy-Rae brought upon himself when he suggested that special permits be given to rural-dwellers that would allow them to have up to three drinks and drive home.
I wonder if he might have had a point after all. I know a few people like Jimmy – bachelor farmers living with aged relatives. The pub and a few pints is an important social outlet. It allows them to open up a little with their peers and talk about their problems. That has to be good and may help reduce the frightening incidence of suicide. However, it is becoming more and more difficult to do so given the often unbending application of the drink-driving laws without regard to the age of the driver (a middle-aged farmer like Jimmy is likely to be a lot less affected by a few drinks than a 19-year-old for example).
It’s a conundrum. On the one hand there is an incontrovertible link between alcohol consumption and road accidents and yet there are people who can have, say, three pints and be of minimal risk to others. I recall a Coroner stating a few years ago that in his experience alcohol related accidents are caused by a hell of a lot more than two or three drinks.
Whatever about the merits of the approach one way or another, the existing often rigorous application of the law is driving people like Jimmy into yet more isolation and despair.
I don’t know what the outcome of Jimmy’s breathalyzer check was and I am looking forward to seeing the film in order to find out.
Well done again for opening an window on an aspect of rural life that few urban dwellers are aware of.
Apologies. That should have read Gerard BARRET of course.
You don’t need to actually drink alcohol to socialise.
No you don’t, Colin, but for shy, introverted farmers like Jimmy alcohol helps them overcome their awkwardness in social situations and may make them open up a little more regarding their problems.
could always do what they do in rural France, go to a café, meet your friends, play cards, chat, socialise and have coffee.
The pub is the only place left. They do a pot of tea unlike some. Unfortunately there is no bus, it is too far to walk when old and/or disabled. Staying home alone is the only option. The rural transport scheme needs to be extended so that everyone can get out 2/3 days per week.
As many get older/infirm and those already disabled lose their elderly occasional lift then they are cut off. They finish what is in the kitchen and wrap up and then…. What?
Saw this last week, cracking film. Probably the best Irish film I have seen, and would recommend anybody that grew up in the country to see it. As the director says himself, it’s not an easy watch, but the life he is trying to portray isnt an easy life.
I saw this film last week. It is a remarkable debut for the young director and highlighted the godforsaken plight of this middle-aged man with very limited options. Brilliant piece of cinema.
Saw this and it was probably the worst movie I have ever seen. Slow, depressing, bad acting, continuity mistakes every minute and badly shot in every way imaginable. The director might have a bright future once he sticks to milking cows at some farm in the middle of nowhere.
If you have nothing nice to say – rev up & ……..
I wonder how lonely you must feel to have a twitter account just to post disparaging remarks on here.
I appreciate the honesty
John for €4500 it’s fantastic achievement, you should stick to jean Claude van dame films.
@ John Kissane, When a movie you write and direct wins you awards and an agent in Holywood like this young man did THEN I will read your movie reviews with interest, till then zip it.
John, you’re a nasty bit of work. This is a young fellas first movie and fair play to him. A bit of encouragement wouldn’t go astray. BTW, are you the same guy who was making comments about Priests and being Christian yesterday?
Several reviewers have said similar things to my comment. The people on here seem incapable of forming an original opinion and just keep bleating the same sheep like ideas. Baaaaa, no wonder you all love the farm boys story.
John, there’s a big difference between giving a review and acting the clown. You obviously like seeking attention by ‘not following the flock’. Life is short John. Be happy. Be positive. Read The Secret. That will help you out! Have a positive day!
★★★★★ RTÉ, ★★★★ The Irish Times ★★★★ Irish Daily Mail ★★★★ RTE Guide ★★★★ Joe.ie ★★★★ Irish Examiner
John — Are you jealous of this impressive young man’s considerable success? I suspect you are.
The message is important.
It is an atmospheric piece and shows how very lonely the rural life is nowadays.
Much of rural Ireland is simply closing down, being left abandoned as people die alone.
There is much less activity, less to do, less means to get there.
I am not sure if it is too late for many little places and the people dotted around in isolated homes.
So, you have a problem with commenters lack of originality, but no problem justifying your pathetic contribution by emphasising youre drawing on ‘reviews’?
Thats original, isn’t it John?
Touch of Balzac about you.
Or maybe its Kant, I just can’t decide.
Wrong place to leave the comment again John. Come on, try to figure it out, you can do it! I’ll give you a clue-when you’re replying then look for a button that says REPLY.
Dont feed the troll folks.
Directed at John Kissane, of course.
Look up the review on entertainment.ie and you’ll see that they say pretty much the same things I do. Or maybe they are trolling too? Although, if you can’t even figure out how to put your comment in the right place then I guess we can see the limited brainpower you possess.
★★★★★ RTÉ, ★★★★ The Irish Times ★★★★ Irish Daily Mail ★★★★ RTE Guide ★★★★ Joe.ie ★★★★ Irish Examiner.
Enough said really John with these reviews. Like any piece of art John, it’s a personal opinion if you like it or not. Stop trying to generalize your opinion like its everyones opinion.
Looks like a great film,lookn forward to watchn it now
Everyone in Ireland should see this film. Even though most Irish people now live in cities and towns, the countryside is all around and many of us have parents, uncles, aunts, cousins and friends living in rural Ireland. There but for the Grace of God and our immediate family histories go many of us. The plight of the single bachelor farmers, are mainly male and middle aged or elderly, has been an issue for many years. And many of the issues in the film – the poverty, the loneliness, the lack of friends and family, the inability to marry and raise a family, the insecurity, the responsibility for looking after ageing and infirm parents and relatives and the threat of catastrophe, bankruptcy and disaster affect people living in towns and cities also.
Fair few isolated women too.
have your say