Journey Through Irish Cinema: Kings (15)
The final film in the season "A Journey Through Irish Cinema" which was curated by the Film Director Sé Merry Doyle is Kings, directed By Tom Collins and starring Colm Meaney and Brendan Conroy.
In the mid 1970s a group of young men left the west of Ireland, bound for London, filled with ambition for a better life in a place where they could be Kings. Thirty years have passed when they meet again. Their youngest friend, Jackie has died. Their muscle has been spent, their hopes dashed on the roads and building sites of Britain, to be replaced with a sense of hopeless disaffection. As the truth about Jackie’s death is uncovered, and long-held secrets are laid bare, the men discover that ultimately it is your friends who break your heart – and your friends who can save it.
Directed by Tom Collins, Kings is a deeply moving and beautifully photographed portrait of displacement, loss, and belonging. Adapted from Jimmy Murphy's acclaimed play Kings of the Kilburn High Road, the film captures the emotional cost of emigration and the enduring search for home. Rich in humanity, compassion and quiet power, Kingsremains a profoundly resonant story—not only for the Irish diaspora, but for anyone who has experienced migration, exile or the longing to belong.
Filmed in both English and Irish (with subtitles), Kings received widespread critical acclaim for its authentic performances and poignant exploration of a generation whose sacrifices helped build modern Britain.
Post-Screening Q&A
The screening will be followed by a special Q&A with Alex McDonnell, director of The Aisling Project. During the 1980s and 1990s, The Aisling Project worked closely with many of the Irish migrant labourers who helped build Britain's roads, railways, tunnels and bridges. While some found success, many others struggled with isolation, alcoholism and homelessness.
When Tom Collins began developing Kings, Alex McDonnell was one of the first people he turned to for guidance. McDonnell introduced Collins to Irish men living in hostels in Camden Town and Kilburn, including residents of Arlington House, whose lived experiences profoundly shaped the film. The powerful authenticity of Kings owes much to these encounters, making this conversation a rare opportunity to hear the remarkable real-life stories that inspired one of Ireland's most acclaimed films.
|
