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Tar Anseo (come here)

Cape Clear Island is a place of sanctuary and freedom. The community on the island takes in people of all walks of life who need somewhere to escape to. When Carmen, a friend from Dublin, turns up on Micaela’s doorstep, 8-months pregnant and seeking refuge, Micaela has no choice but to take her in.

As Carmen approaches the final stages of her pregnancy, the two former friends struggle to reacquaint. Obligated but cautious, Micaela knows that Carmen’s abusive partner will eventually arrive looking for her. When Don José does finally turn up, can Micaela stop Carmen from going back to him again?

Tar Anseo is a contemporary re-interpretation of Bizet’s Carmen told through Irish and set on the island of Cape Clear. In our version, Micaela, a musician from Dublin, has escaped the city to start a new life away from her best friend, Carmen.

  • Zoe Ní Riordáin
    Director
    Dúirt Tú (you said)
  • One Two One Two
    Director
  • Shaun Dunne
    Writer
    Dúirt Tú (you said)
  • Zlata Filipovic
    Producer
  • Jo Halpin
    Producer
  • Anna Rodgers
    Producer
  • One Two One Two
    Producer
  • Seána Kerslake
    Key Cast
    "Micaela"
  • Maud Lee
    Key Cast
    "Carmen"
  • Peter Coonan
    Key Cast
    "Don Jose"
  • Michael Fleming
    Composer
  • One Two One Two
    Songwriter
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 12 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 1, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    50,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Ireland
  • Country of Filming:
    Ireland
  • Language:
    Irish
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Cork International Film Festival
    Cork
    Ireland
    November 16, 2022
    Irish premiere
    Judge's Special Mention
  • Fastnet Film Festival
    Schull, Co. Cork
    Ireland
    May 24, 2023
    Best Director Award
  • Tokyo International Short Film Festival
    Tokyo
    Japan
    October 3, 2023
    Japanese Premiere
    Honorable Mention
Director Biography - Zoe Ní Riordáin, One Two One Two

Zoe Ní Riordáin is an award winning theatre and film maker from Dublin. She is co-artistic director of One Two One Two with Maud Lee. Their critically acclaimed work in theatre, film and music has toured nationally and internationally since 2014. Recent work includes short film Dúirt Tú (you said), received Best Director award at Cork International Film Festival 2020; Everything I Do, theatre piece (winner of Best Performer at Dublin Fringe Awards 2019): Recovery; (received Romilly Walton Masters award for experimental theatre 2018). One Two One Two are committed to making challenging and heartfelt work with a spirit of adventure. Zoe is an associate artist with Pan Pan Theatre and One Two One Two are resident artists at Project Arts Centre Dublin. She is currently in the edit process for Éist liom (listen to me), the feature length film adaptation of the story of Carmen.

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Director Statement

Tar Anseo is the third film in a suite of Irish language films One Two One Two has made in collaboration with Shaun Dunne.

I spent two months living on Cape Clear island writing music for Éist liom (listen to me), a feature film based on the story of Carmen. My time on the island inspired a new episode of
the story, which takes place amidst the peaceful beauty of Cape.

We wanted to create a contemporary telling of the tragedy of Carmen, a woman killed by her partner. With Shaun and Maud, we developed the perspective of Micaela, Carmen’s closest friend.
Tar Anseo examines how a complex friendship and musical bond can endure pain and even death. Micaela is writing songs on the island, inspired by the suffering and dysfunction she
experienced in the city with her friend. She has escaped to place of calm and community.

We worked hard over two years to develop our relationship with the people of Cape Clear, who feature in the film and embraced our process. We can’t thank them enough. The island is a sanctuary for Micaela, but her previous life catches up with her.

Shaun, Maud and I wanted to express the intensity of the bond between Carmen and Micaela, and how the two women communicate through music. The style of the dialogue is
minimalist. So much is unspoken and unexpressed, until it’s too late. There is a deep pain and regret that is felt through the music and the words that are spoken. Our aim with this
film was to foreground the effect that violence can have on the victims and their loved ones, as opposed to the events themselves.

Shooting this film in collaboration with the people of Cape Clear was a dream come true. My wish is that the sanctuary of the island, the warmth of the community its complexity comes to life in our film.