Song of the Sea (2014 film)

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Song of the Sea
Song of the Sea (2014 film) poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byTomm Moore
Screenplay byWill Collins
Story byTomm Moore
Produced by
  • Tomm Moore
  • Ross Murray
  • Paul Young
  • Stephan Roelants
  • Serge Ume
  • Marc Ume
  • Isabelle Truc
  • Clement Calvet
  • Jeremie Fajner
  • Frederik Villumsen
  • Claus Toksvig Kjaer
Starring
Edited by
Music by
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release date
  • 6 September 2014 (2014-09-06) (TIFF)
  • 10 December 2014 (2014-12-10) (France/Belgium/Luxembourg)
  • 19 February 2015 (2015-02-19) (Denmark)
  • 10 July 2015 (2015-07-10) (Ireland)
Running time
94 minutes[3]
Countries
  • Ireland
  • Belgium
  • Denmark
  • France
  • Luxembourg[1]
LanguagesEnglish
Irish
French
BudgetUS$7.5 million
Box officeUS$4.4 million[4]

Song of the Sea (Irish: Amhrán na Mara) is a 2014 animated fantasy film directed and co-produced by Tomm Moore, co-produced by Ross Murray, Paul Young, Stephen Roelants, Serge and Marc Ume, Isabelle Truc, Clement Calvet, Jeremie Fajner, Frederik Villumsen, and Claus Toksvig Kjaer, and written by Will Collins from Moore's story.[5] An international co-production between the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, France and Luxembourg,[1] it is the second feature film by Cartoon Saloon.[6] The film is the second installment in Moore's "Irish Folklore Trilogy", following his previous film The Secret of Kells (2009) and preceding the film Wolfwalkers (2020).[7] It is also the only one to be set in contemporary times, as the former two movies take place during the Middle Ages and the 17th century respectively.

Song of the Sea follows the story of a 10-year-old Irish boy named Ben (David Rawle) who discovers that his mute sister Saoirse, whom he blames for the apparent death of his mother, is a selkie who has to free faerie creatures from the Celtic goddess Macha.

Like other Saloon films, the film was hand-drawn. The film began production soon after the release of The Secret of Kells, premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on 6 September in the "TIFF Kids" programme.[8] The film had a limited release in certain countries, but received critical acclaim and won the Satellite Award for Best Animated or Mixed Media Feature and European Film Award for Best Animated Feature Film, as well as was nominated for the Best Animated Feature at the 87th Academy Awards and 42nd Annie Awards.[9][10][11]

The Irish-language version has been produced by Macalla with funding from TG4 and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, with selected cinemas in Ireland screening it from 10 July 2015.[12][13] Brendan Gleeson and Fionnula Flanagan reprised their respective roles in this version. The DVD with the Irish audio can be bought in Cartoon Saloon's online store.[14]

Plot[]

Conor, a lighthouse keeper, lives on an island with his son Ben, his pregnant wife Bronagh, and their Old English Sheepdog Cú in 1980s Ireland.[15] Bronagh disappears late one night, presumably dying after giving birth to a daughter named Saoirse.

Six years later, Conor is broken, Saoirse is mute, and Ben is hostile toward Saoirse, blaming her for Bronagh's disappearance. On Saoirse's birthday, they are visited by their grandmother, who regards the lighthouse as an unfit place to raise the children. That night, Ben scares Saoirse with a story of Mac Lir and his mother Macha, the Owl Witch, who stole his feelings and turned him to stone. Later, Saoirse plays a seashell horn given to Ben by their mother, leading her to a white sealskin coat in Conor's closet. She puts on the coat and walks to a group of seals in the sea, revealing herself as a selkie. After swimming, she is found by Granny on the seashore, who insists upon taking the children to the city. Conor reluctantly agrees despite Ben's protests, locks the coat in a chest, and throws it into the sea.

On Halloween, Saoirse plays Ben's seashell, alerting the Faeries called "Na Daoine Sídhe" to her. She and Ben attempt to go home, but encounter the Faeries, who hope she will allow them to return to the Tír na nÓg. However, they are attacked by Macha's owls, turning the Faeries to stone. The siblings flee the spot and take a country bus, and run into Cú, who had followed them. However, Saoirse is growing ill, due to not having her seal coat and being away from the ocean. They come across a holy well into which Saoirse dives into. Ben follows her and meets the Great Seanachaí: they learn Saoirse was kidnapped by Macha, and she is mute because she needs the coat and will soon die if she does not get it back. He gives Ben one of his hairs that will lead him to Macha. As he follows the hair, it shows him that Bronagh – a selkie herself – was forced to return to the ocean on the night of Saoirse's birth, leaving her husband and children behind. Since Ben found the truth, the walls of hair open, showing him a way out and to the house. The Faeries who turned to stone speak out to warn Ben to avoid the jars, tell him to be careful and brave, and wish him good luck.

Ben then meets Macha, who explains that when Mac Lir suffered from a broken heart, she turned him into an island near their home. She is determined to do likewise for everyone, even herself, to spare them pain. Ben manages to rescue Saoirse, giving Macha back her feelings and allowing her to recognize that taking away feelings doesn't help. She helps to fly them back home along with two Faerie dogs, and Conor attempts to take Saoirse to a hospital. Ben dives into the sea in search of Saoirse's coat and recovers it with the seals’ help. After Conor brings him on the boat, Saoirse's coat is put on her, and her voice surprises Ben and Conor. Saoirse's coat changes her into a little seal. Ben rides on her back and his father rides on another seal's back to Mac Lir's island. The group is then washed up on Mac Lir's island, but Saoirse's health is not fully restored. Ben tries to get Saoirse to sing, and she eventually sings the Song of the Sea. The song causes Saoirse's health to be fully restored, along with the faeries and spirits whom Macha had turned to stone, and opens the way to Tír na nÓg.

Bronagh appears to take Saoirse to Tír na nÓg with her, but Ben and Conor plead to let Saoirse stay with them, because she's all they have. Since she is half-human, the choice rests with Saoirse, who elects to remain behind with her father and brother, even though it means giving up her selkie powers and becoming fully human, if Bronagh takes Saoirse's coat to untangle their worlds. Accepting her daughter's decision, Bronagh takes her coat. Conor tells Bronagh that he loves her so much, and they kiss. Ben asks Bronagh to stay as well, but she is unable to and tells him to remember her in his stories and songs and that she'll always love him, before kissing her son's forehead. After a tearful farewell, Ben and his family happily return home to their island, where Granny finally arrives, and Conor tells her he's now well enough to take care of the children.

In a mid-credits scene, the family is shown happily painting a mural of their home, Bronagh, and the Faeries; celebrating Ben's birthday; and Ben and Saoirse, now closer than ever, go swimming with Cú and the seals in the ocean.

Voice cast[]

English[]

Irish[]

Scottish Gaelic[]

  • Kathleen NicAonghais as Ben
  • Dàibhidh Walker as Conor, Mac Lir and Rock Shee
  • Donna Nic 'Ille Mhoire as Macha
  • Catherine Tinney as Saoirse and Young Ben
  • Màiri Nic 'Ille Mhoire as Bronagh
  • Ailig Dòmhnallach as Ferry Dan and Lug
  • Anna Mhoireach as Granny
  • Iain MacFhionghain as Mossy and Bus Driver
  • Iain MacRath as Spud and the Great Seanchaí

French[]

  • Jean-Stan DuPac as Ben
  • Patrick Béthune as Connor
  • Nolwenn Leroy as Bruna
  • Nathalie Homs as Granny and Macha
  • Cyrille Artaux as Lug
  • Pascal Sellem as Spud
  • Thisbée Vidal-Lefebvre as Young Ben
  • Marc Perez as Mossy

Music[]

Song Of The Sea
Soundtrack album by
Bruno Coulais & Kíla
Released1 January 2014 (2014-01-01)
GenreFilm score
Length54:02
LabelUniversal Music Group

The original music for the film was composed by Bruno Coulais, in collaboration with the Irish group Kíla. "The Derry Tune" originally featured on Kíla's 2010 album Soisín. The film also features the voice of Lisa Hannigan and songs by Nolwenn Leroy. A soundtrack album, consisting of 25 songs from the film, was released digitally on 9 December 2014 by Decca Records.[17]

Track listing
Song of the Sea (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
No.TitleLength
1."Song of the Sea" (performed by Lisa Hannigan)2:42
2."The Mother's Portrait"2:26
3."The Sea Scene"2:42
4."The Song" (performed by Lisa Hannigan and Lucy O' Connell)5:16
5."The Key in the Sea"0:59
6."The Derry Tune"1:58
7."In the Streets"1:05
8."Dance with the Fish"2:05
9."The Seals"0:45
10."Something Is Wrong" (performed by Lisa Hannigan)2:04
11."Run"2:31
12."Head Credits" (performed by Lisa Hannigan)1:44
13."Get Away"1:18
14."Help"2:33
15."Sadness"1:06
16."Molly"1:05
17."I Hate You"1:33
18."Who Are You"1:19
19."The Storm"1:55
20."Katy's Tune"3:30
21."In the Bus" (performed by Lisa Hannigan)0:44
22."The Thread" (performed by Lisa Hannigan)2:24
23."" (performed by Lisa Hannigan)2:45
24."Song of the Sea (Lullaby) (From "Song of the Sea")" (performed by Nolwenn Leroy)3:46
25."La chanson de la mer (berceuse) (Extrait du film "Le chant de la mer")" (performed by Nolwenn Leroy)3:47
Total length:54:02

Release[]

Song of the Sea premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on 6 September 2014 in the TIFF Kids program.[8] Theatrically, it was released in France, Belgium and Luxembourg on 10 December 2014.[18] It received a limited release in North America on 19 December 2014, which qualified it for an Academy Award nomination.[19] It was released in Ireland on 10 July 2015.[20]

Reception[]

Box office[]

The film has grossed CN¥15 million in China[21] and US$857,522 in the United States and Canada.[22]

Critical response[]

Early reviews were overwhelmingly positive. Todd Brown, founder and editor of Twitch Film, gave a highly positive review of the film, saying that "a tale that weds absolutely gorgeous artwork with beautifully nuanced characters and a deep but natural rooting in ancient folk tales and magic, Song of the Sea has an assured and timeless quality to it. It is the sort of story that feels as though it always existed somewhere, just waiting until now to be told". "Song of the Sea is not about selling units, it's about story and heart and emotion and wonder and craftsmanship and because of that it becomes timeless, a beautiful piece of art that will delight audiences old and young and confirms what many suspected of Moore after Kells: The man's a master storyteller, and we can only hope he has many, many more stories to tell."[23]

On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a Certified Fresh approval rating of 99% based on 97 reviews, with an average rating of 8.40/10. The site's critics' consensus reads: "Song of the Sea boasts narrative depth commensurate with its visual beauty, adding up to an animated saga overflowing with family-friendly riches."[24] On Metacritic the film has a score of 85 out of 100, from 24 reviews indicating "universal acclaim".[25]

Writing in the Toronto Review, Carlos Aguilar said of the film: "Watching Song of the Sea it is easy to assert that this is one of the most blissfully beautiful animated films ever made. It is a gem beaming with awe-inspiring, heartwarming magic".[26]

Sara Stewart from the New York Post said "If you want some real cinematic magic this holiday season, don’t miss this enchanting Irish film about a pair of siblings and a piece of Celtic folklore that turns out to be true".[27]

Animator Ken Priebe found in the film a lot of influence of Hayao Miyazaki, in particular the scene on the bus is similar to the scene on the train from Spirited Away, and the owl witch looks like Yubaba from the same film.[28]

Accolades[]

Year Award Category Recipients Results
2014 Festival International des Voix du Cinéma d'Animation (Port Leucate, France)[29] Prix Spécial du Jury Song of the Sea Won
2015 42nd Annual Annie Awards[30] Best Animated Feature Tomm Moore, Paul Young Nominated
Character Design in an Animated Feature Production Tomm Moore, Marie Thorhauge, Sandra Anderson, Rosa Ballester Cabo Nominated
Directing in an Animated Feature Production Tomm Moore Nominated
Music in a Feature Production Bruno Coulais & Kíla Nominated
Production Design in an Animated Feature Production Adrien Merigeau Nominated
Writing in an Animated Feature Production Will Collins Nominated
Editorial in an Animated Feature Production Darragh Byrne Nominated
19th Satellite Awards[31] Best Animated or Mixed Media Feature Song of the Sea Won
40th César Awards[32] Best Animated Feature Film Song of the Sea Nominated
87th Academy Awards[33] Best Animated Feature Tomm Moore and Paul Young Nominated[34]
12th Irish Film & Television Awards[35] Best Film Song of the Sea Won
Best Film Script Will Collins Nominated
28th European Film Awards[36] Best Animated Feature Film Song of the Sea Won
2016 6th Magritte Awards[37] Best Foreign Film in Coproduction Song of the Sea Nominated
21st Empire Awards[38][39] Best Animated Film Song of the Sea Nominated
2017 2nd Irish Animation Awards[40] Best Irish Feature Film or Special Song of the Sea Won

DVD[]

Song of the Sea was released on DVD and Blu-Ray in Region 1 by Universal Studios Home Entertainment on March 17, 2015.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b https://www.europeanfilmawards.eu/en_EN/film/song-of-the-sea.3750[bare URL]
  2. ^ https://www.dfi.dk/viden-om-film/filmdatabasen/film/sangen-fra-havet[bare URL]
  3. ^ "SONG OF THE SEA (PG)". British Board of Film Classification. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  4. ^ "Song of the Sea (2014) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Nash Information Services. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  5. ^ Debruge, Peter (21 September 2014). "Film Review: 'Song of the Sea'". Variety. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  6. ^ Monji, Jana (20 November 2014). "AFI FEST 2014: HAUNTING STORIES FROM ABROAD". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  7. ^ "Wolfwalkers". tiff.net. Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b Wolfe, Jennifer (19 August 2014). "Cartoon Saloon's 'Song of the Sea' to Premiere at TIFF". Animation World Network. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  9. ^ Murphy, Niall (15 January 2015). "Awards Season: Irish film Song of the Sea nominated for Oscar". Scannain. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  10. ^ Murphy, Niall (15 January 2015). "Irish film Song of the Sea nominated for Oscar". Scannain. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  11. ^ "Big Hero 6" winning Best Animated Feature Film - Oscars on YouTube
  12. ^ Murphy, Niall (4 June 2015). "Scannán as Gaelige: Amhrán na Mara/Song of the Sea to be released in Irish". Beochan. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  13. ^ "Oscars 2015: Song of the Sea / Amhrán na Mara". TG4. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  14. ^ "Song of the Sea DVD". Cartoon Saloon. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  15. ^ 'Song of the Sea' review: Celtic Tapestry - SFGate
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b Her name is spelt as "Bronach" in the credits.
  17. ^ "'Song of the Sea' Soundtrack Details". Film Music Reporter. 8 November 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  18. ^ "European Release of Song of the Sea". Cartoon Saloon. 10 December 2014. Archived from the original on 27 December 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  19. ^ Wolfe, Jennifer (25 August 2014). "GKIDS Announces North American Release Date for 'Song of the Sea'". Animation World Network. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  20. ^ "Irish Animation 'Song of the Sea' Wins a Satellite Award in the Run Up to the Oscars". Irish Film Board. 17 February 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  21. ^ "海洋之歌（2016）" [Song of the Sea]. cbooo.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  22. ^ "Song of the Sea". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  23. ^ Brown, Todd (7 September 2014). "Toronto 2014 Review: SONG OF THE SEA Is A Timeless Delight For All Ages". Twitch Film. Archived from the original on 7 September 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  24. ^ "Song of the Sea (2014)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  25. ^ "Song of the Sea Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  26. ^ Aguilar, Carlos (7 September 2014). "Toronto Review: "Song of the Sea" is a Blissfully Beautiful Journey Into Irish Folklore". Toronto Review. Indiewire.com. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  27. ^ Stewart, Sara (17 December 2014). "'Song of the Sea' is this season's animated masterpiece". New York Post. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  28. ^ Overstreet, Jeffrey (18 March 2015). "Song of the Sea (2014): A Conversation With Animator and Author Ken Priebe". Patheos. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  29. ^ "un Prix spécial du Jury a été attribué au Chant de la mer de Tomm Moore". voixdetoiles.com. 27 October 2014. Archived from the original on 27 October 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  30. ^ "42nd Annual Annie Award Nominees". Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  31. ^ Pond, Steve (1 December 2014). "'Birdman' Leads Satellite Awards Nominations". Yahoo!. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  32. ^ "César nominations 2015". www.allocine.fr. 29 January 2015. Archived from the original on 29 January 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  33. ^ "Oscars 2015: nominations in full". 15 January 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  34. ^ 2015|Oscars.org
  35. ^ "The IFTA 2015 Winners' List". entertainment.ie. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  36. ^ "European Film Awards Winners 2015: Paolo Sorrentino's 'Youth' Scoops Best Film, Director & Actor For Michael Caine". Deadline.
  37. ^ "Magritte du cinéma : pluie de nominations pour Jaco van Dormael et Savina Dellicour". Le Soir (in French). 12 January 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  38. ^ Nugent, John. "Jameson Empire Awards 2016: Star Wars and Mad Max lead the nominations". Empire. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  39. ^ Metro.co.uk, Rebecca Lewis for. "Mad Max: Fury Road leads the pack at the 2016 Jameson Empire Awards". Metro. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  40. ^ "2017 Winners". Irish Animation Awards. 25 March 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2017.

External links[]

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