Celtic Utopia

Bluesky

A quick glance might suggest that this documentary is going to be a toe-tapping survey of the modern folk music scene in Ireland. While that’s one string of its bow, Irishman Dennis Harvey and his Swedish co-director Lars Lovén have a lot more in their sights, diving into the complexities surrounding the Irish language and its historic ties to conservatism and religion as well as offering a survey of the social landscape on both sides of the Border.

The film also comes as a reminder of the pace of change since the 1990s, which saw the last of the scandal-ridden Catholic-run Magdalene Laundries closed down as well as the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Indeed, one of the contributors recalls how his own mother was almost taken to one of the institutions after becoming pregnant out of wedlock. Attention to detail and careful editing from Dominika Daubenbüchel – which weaves in archive footage without getting sidetracked – means Celtic Utopia comes packed with information, while still retaining the loose energy of a night down the pub with your mates.

In recent years, Irish music and the language have been brought into the spotlight by Kneecap and though they aren’t featured here, the salience around them should surely help this film attract attention. There’s no chance you’ll feel as though you’re missing out as Celtic Utopia is packed with a wealth of talent, including The Mary Wallopers – who have also hit the headlines recently, The Deadlians, Young Spencer and a whole lot more.

Instead of taking a concert approach, the directors mostly shoot the artists, who also include Branwen and Jinx Lennon, out and about in the community. Their methodology, which has an emphasis on keeping the cameras rolling, ensures their film doesn’t just reflect the reality of modern Ireland but actively embraces it when it makes its presence felt. The result means that there are interludes involving a man jumping into the Liffey and Young Spencer taking a group of kids for KFC to chat about their views on modern Belfast. While the heritage all the youngsters are dealing with is complex, Celtic Utopia is imbued with a vibrant sense of hopefulness as the next generation is intent on seeing beyond the binary.

While many documentaries aim to slim down narratives and present them in bitesize form, Harvey and Lovén welcome the complexities of post-colonial Ireland and the way that these musicians are exploring them through their work. A deserving winner of Locarno’s Critic’s Week strand, the multifaceted strengths of this documentary sing out.

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