Benediction

In Benediction, the filmmaker revisits archival family footage shot in the early 1990s, recontextualizing scenes of everyday life to reveal hidden layers of trauma. This collaboration with his younger self transforms personal memory into a universal meditation on the nature of family, time, and emotional inheritance.
What lurks under the skin of this ‘normal’ family, paragons of Catholic Ireland? Who are these children and how safe can they be in a place and time not yet awoken to the sins of clerical abuse.
The film’s analogue texture and deeply personal subject matter align with Fringe Gallery’s commitment to exploring contemporary practices that interrogate identity and representation through moving images.
The soundtrack and intro are taken from a live recording the artist recorded at the Taize religious community in Burgandy during a visit there in the same year.