On Achill Island, on the west coast of the Republic of Ireland, Cian hopes to spend his summer vacation playing soccer with his friends. But his grandfather Martin reckons the time has come to introduce him to farm work in order to pass on his craft to the next generation.
Diploma project (2022) by Selin Dettwiler
Documentary / 30 min
Synopsis
On Achill Island, a predominantly sheep-populated island off the west coast of Ireland, Cian tries his best to train his grandfather's sheep dog, Martin. From an opening scene that shows the teenager struggling with disobedient animals and a patient but firm grandfather, the long and rigorous apprenticeship of farm work begins, during a summer he would have preferred to spend with his friends. Wearing a soccer jersey and city sneakers, Cian is confronted with the harshness and demands of a job that he admires and respects, but in which he is not sure he has a long term vision.
Student's comment
On Achill Island, on the west coast of the Republic of Ireland, Cian hopes to spend his summer vacation playing soccer with his friends. But his grandfather Martin reckons the time has come to introduce him to farm work in order to pass on his craft to the next generation.
The opening scene shows a teenager struggling with unruly animals and a patient but determined grandfather, as the long learning process and the hard work begin over the summer. The editing focuses on this patient process while also evoking Cian’s inner development.
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