by Kiva Reardon

As there is talk of the Irish Film Board being axed as a result of the recession, perhaps more people should see Ondine. In a small fishing village, Syracuse (Colin Farrell) pulls a woman, Ondine, (Alicja Bachleda) from the water in his fishing net. The romantic landscape and the idealized figure of the fisherman draw the audience into the fairy tale which Syracuse and his sick daughter, Annie, hope to be true: Ondine is a selkie, a seal who’s lost her coat, has become human, and come ashore to find love with a landsman. In true Neil Jordan fashion this fairy tale is juxtaposed with the stark reality of Annie’s illness, so that while we too hope for a mystical explanation, Annie’s condition ensures we never stray too far from reality. I don’t want to ruin the fairy tale, but its conclusion addresses an issue which Ireland is facing for the first time: immigration. So let’s hope the IFB remains, as where else can politics become poetic if not on film?

Side note, a nod should also be given to the soundtrack, which includes the wonderful Lisa Hannigan.