他的和她们的

The creator of a number of acclaimed documentary shorts, Ken Wardrop has been feted as one of Ireland's most promising filmmaking talents. His distinctive first feature, shot through with charm and humour, has a deceptively simple conceit that manages to deliver an honest and revealing insight into life in the country. Inspired by the story of his mother's life, Wardrop presents interviews with women from across the midlands of Ireland. Starting with some in their nappies and ending in a nursing home, the women of gradually increasing ages welcome viewers into their own homes, and from these living rooms, kitchens and hallways, they talk about their experiences, about their relationships and attitudes towards men. These daughters, wives and mammies are, by turns, frank, funny, gracious, perceptive and moving, and collectively, the interviews form the narrative of life, from cradle to grave, in an inventive and original way. Wardrop's gift for observation is impeccable; each scene is beautifully composed, the women and the interiors all intriguingly framed through a static camera lens. 　　Michael Hayden