The case of 17-year-old Christy seems hopeless: once again, the boy is expelled from a foster home, and there is no one left willing to take him in. Eventually, he is taken in by his half-brother — a new father living with his wife and newborn baby. Christy tries to adjust to his new circumstances while learning more about his family’s past. The film was awarded the Grand Prix at the Berlin Film Festival.

Creators and Cast

• Director: Brendan Canty
• Screenplay: Alan O’Gorman
• Cinematography: Colm Hogan
• Music: Daithi O’Dronai, Juliet Martin, Sally O’Connor
• Cast: Danny Power, Diarmuid Noyes, Emma Willis, Chris Walley, Lewis Brophy

About the film

• Age: 16+
• Duration: 94′
• Polish subtitles
• Ireland, United Kingdom, 2025

Film scholar’s recommendation

Christy, dir. Brendan Canty (Ireland–United Kingdom, 2025).
The feature debut of the Irish director, based on his 2017 short film. Canty presents a portrait of the title teenager alongside that of his older brother — together they attempt to overcome the traumas of a lonely childhood. Their relationship forms the heart of this modest yet powerful film, which portrays the struggles of Ireland’s working class while keeping the focus firmly on its vivid characters. The tension between the desire to turn one’s life around and the lure of an easy, criminal path has long been a key theme of socially engaged British and Irish cinema. Christy brings fresh energy to the topic through its distinctive Irish humour, which balances the film’s gritty realism achieved through cinematography, performances, and the provincial Cork setting. It also offers an empathetic vision that allows viewers to find an optimistic perspective — not one imposed, but one that naturally emerges within this cinematic world.