Rural Ireland Film ‘That They May Face the Rising Sun’ Official Trailer

Rural Ireland Film ‘That They May Face the Rising Sun’ Official Trailer

by Alex Billington
March 10, 2025
Source: YouTube

“There will come a time when these days will be looked back on as happiness.” Juno Films debuted their official trailer for an indie Irish drama film titled That They May Face the Rising Sun, made by veteran Irish filmmaker Pat Collins. Based on acclaimed Irish author John McGahern’s award winning novel of the same name, That They May Face the Rising Sun is a lively evocation of nature, humanity and life itself, set in a 1980’s rural community in Ireland. This originally premiered a few years ago at the 2023 London Film Festival and already opened in the UK last year – now it’s set for a spring US release this April to enjoy. Joe & Kate Ruttledge have returned home from London to live and work among the tiny, close-knit community near to where Joe grew up. Now deeply embedded in life around the lake, the drama of a year in their lives and those of the memorable characters around them unfolds through the rituals of work, play, and with the passing seasons. This lovely little film stars Anna Bederke, Barry Ward, Lalor Roddy, Ruth McCabe, and Sean McGinley. This looks gorgeous and placid and peaceful – we need more wholesome films like this.

Here’s the official US trailer for Pat Collins’ film That They May Face the Rising Sun, from YouTube:

That They May Face the Rising Sun is an adaptation of the final novel from author John McGahern, one of Ireland’s greatest novelists. Joe and Kate Ruttledge have returned from London to live and work among a tiny, rural, lakeside community in Ireland near to where Joe grew up. Now deeply embedded in the life around the lake, the drama of a year in their lives and those of the memorable characters that move about them unfolds through the rituals of work, play and the passing seasons as this enclosed world becomes an everywhere. That They May Face the Rising Sun is directed by the acclaimed Irish filmmaker Pat Collins, director of many films including Abbas Kiarostami: The Art of Living, Gabriel Byrne: Stories from Home, Tim Robinson: Connemara, Henry Glassie: Field Work, Silence, and The Dance previously. The screenplay is written by Eamon Little and Pat Collins. It’s adapted from the novel of the same name written by John McGahern. Produced by Brendan J. Byrne and Tina O’Reilly This first premiered at the 2023 London Film Festival, and it also played at the 2024 Santa Barbara Film Festival. Juno Films will debut That They May Face the Rising Sun in select US theaters + on VOD starting on April 11th, 2025 this spring. Looks good?

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