If you need a beautiful piece of art in your life, then look no further than the flinty dream that is A Concrete Song.
This is the latest short from director Dave Tynan, who is currently putting the finishing touches to the film version of Dublin Oldschool with writer and performer Emmet Kirwan. (You might remember their recent short-film collaboration Heartbreak, which gave stunning voice to one woman's struggle, with Jordanne Jones delivering a terrific performance.)
The main star and creative force behind A Concrete Song is dancer Oona Doherty. The text is a poem by Doherty that inspired her Hard to Be Soft dance series, which will premier at the Belfast International Arts Festival at the end of October. The pieces are a reflection on Belfast, her hometown, based on the experiences of the locals.
In it Doherty, in collaboration with musician David Holmes, "creates a physical prayer celebrating all we have and an invocation for all that we are missing". Holmes's music also features in the short film.
Drill deeper into the credits and you’ll see that it’s filmed by actor Hugh O’Conor, who in recent years has moved his considerable talents to the other side of the camera. And as for that brilliant location? It’s the Ulster Maple Leaf Sports and Social Club on Belfast’s Park Avenue.
“What if Jesus came back? What if he was bricking your car on the Saintfield road?” it asks. Have a look and come up with your own answers.
