BURY OUR HEARTS AT THE BEND OF THE RIVER

Aoife Desmond • Ireland • 2023 • 68 min. • 16mm

SYNOPSIS

“Bury Our Hearts at the Bend of the River” follows three female performers as they journey along the River Lee, blending walks, boat rides, and spontaneous performances. The film explores the intimate connection between humans and the river, but this connection is disrupted by man-made structures like dams and industrial zones. Land privatization makes it difficult to traverse the riverbanks, while water quality issues remain hidden.
Through bilingual voiceovers and singing, the film delves into the cultural and historical significance of the river valley, reflecting on Irish language retention and the impact of colonization on land use.

TRAILER

FESTIVALS & ALTERNATIVE SCREENINGS

Cork International Film Festival. Ireland (2023)
Marienbad International Film Festival. Czech Republic (2024)
Lima Alterna International Film Festival. Peru (2024)

CREW

SCREENWRITER & DIRECTOR
Aoife Desmond

PRODUCER
Aoife Desmond

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Aoife Desmond
Peter Martin
Andrew O’Reilly
JP Quill

PERFORMERS
Kanako Haru
Siobhán Ní Dhuinnín
Aoife Desmond

SOUND DESIGN
Justin Grounds

ADDITIONAL MUSIC IMPROVISATION
Aoife Desmond
Kanako Haru
Solamh Kelly
Macha Shewolf

PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS
Jamie Ashforth
Rachel Donnelly
Cilla Woodhouse

COLOR GRADING & ONLINE EDIT
Michael Higgins

PRODUCTION ADVISOR
Padraig Trehy

FESTIVALS & SALES
Kino Rebelde