Cherish
By Cherish Clinton and Lisa Ward
Lakelands tells the story of Cian, a footballer who gets attacked on a night out and struggles to come to terms with his career-ending injury.
The Irish drama is the feature film debut for Robert Higgins and Patrick McGivney who both wrote and directed the film in their hometown of Granard, County Longford. The pair won acclaim for a 2020 short film called ‘Drifting’, which starred Paul Mescal, the star of Normal People.
These two newcomers are childhood friends telling the story of a Gaelic football player who is assaulted outside a pub one night and suffers a concussion. This leaves him unable to continue with football and can’t work as much on his family farm, forcing him to realize this one night has changed his life forever.
It’s a real and honest story that’s well acted by the cast. The story is relatable for anyone seriously involved in a competitive contact sport whether in Europe or America’s version of football.
Keep an eye on this writer/director duo for more impressive projects to come.
The 38th Santa Barbara International Film Festival runs through February 18. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes, will be held throughout the city, including at the historic Arlington Theatre. Passes and tickets are on sale now at .
