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That They May Face The Rising Sun

In Cinemas Throughout Scotland from 26 April, 2024

Irish auteur Pat Collins’ third narrative feature is in cinemas from 26 April

That They May Face The Rising Sun is set in rural 1980s Ireland and is an adaptation of the final novel from Booker-nominated Irish writer John McGahern

NOMINATED for 11 Irish Film and Television Awards 2024 including Best Film (awards announced 20 April)

WINNER: Best Irish Film Dublin Film Festival 2024

Conic is delighted to announce they will be releasing That They May Face The Rising Sun in English, Scottish and Welsh cinemas from 26 April. Break Out Pictures are releasing in Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland on the same day.

Following its World premiere at LFF23, That They May Face The Rising Sun is the third narrative feature from Irish auteur director, Pat Collins (Song of Granite, Silence).

Capturing a year in the life of a rural, lakeside community in Ireland in the 1980’s, the film is an adaptation of the autobiographical final novel from Booker-shortlisted John McGahern, one of Ireland’s greatest novelists. It stars Barry Ward (Jimmy’s Hall, ‘Bad Sisters’) and Anna Bederke (Soul Kitchen, Sterben) in the lead roles, with Lalor Roddy (Grabbers, God’s Creatures), Sean McGinley (Michael Collins, Braveheart), Ruth McCabe (Philomena, Joy Ride) and first-time actor Phillip Dolan making up the rich cast of supporting characters.

Joe and Kate Ruttledge have returned from London to live and work among the small, close-knit community in County Leitrim near to where Joe grew up. Now deeply embedded in their new life around the lake, this delicate and meditative drama unfolds over a course of a year through the rituals of work, play and the passing seasons within this enclosed world.

Since 1999, writer-director Pat Collins has made over 30 films. His debut narrative feature, Silence premiered at the London Film Festival in 2012. His next feature, Song of Granite, was based on the life of the traditional Irish singer Joe Heaney and received its world premiere at SXSW 2017. That They May Face The Rising Sun is Pat Collins’ third narrative feature. His documentary features include The Dance and Henry Glassie: Field Work.

That They May Face The Rising Sun is produced by Tina O’Reilly (Silence, Henry Glassie Field Work) and Brendan J. Byrne (Jump, Maze) and Executive Produced by Philip King (The Dance, Keeping Time: The Poet & The Piper).

Selected screenings will be preceded by rural archive shorts in partnership with local moving image archives.

That They May Face The Rising Sun

UK/Ireland / 2023 / English / 107 min

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