Song of the Sea (2014 film)
| Song of the Sea | |
|---|---|
_poster.jpg) | |
| Directed by | Tomm Moore |
| Written by | Will Collins |
| Story by | Tomm Moore |
| Produced by | Paul Young Claus Toksvig Kjaer |
| Starring | David Rawle Brendan Gleeson Fionnula Flanagan Lisa Hannigan Lucy O'Connell Jon Kenny Pat Shortt Colm Ó Snodaigh Liam Hourican Kevin Swierszcz |
| Edited by | Darragh Byrne |
| Music by | Bruno Coulais Kíla |
Production companies | Cartoon Saloon[1] Mélusine Productions[1] Big Farm[1] Super Productions[1] Noerlum Studios[1] Irish Film Board[1] Film Fund Luxembourg[1] Eurimages Fund of the Council of Europe[1] Broadcasting Authority of Ireland[1] Film and Audiovisual Centre of Wallonia Brussels Federation[1] Inver Invest[1] Versus Productions[1] Magellan Films[1] Tax Shelter Programme of the Federal Government of Belgium[1] Belgacom[1] Danish Film Institute[1] West Danish Film Fund[1] |
| Distributed by | StudioCanal (UK & Ireland) Haut et Court (France) |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 94 minutes[1] |
| Countries | Ireland[1] Luxembourg[1] Belgium[1] France[1] Denmark[1] |
| Language | English |
Song of the Sea is a 2014 animated fantasy film by Cartoon Saloon that is directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Tomm Moore. The traditionally animated film, which began production soon after the release of The Secret of Kells (2009), premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on 6 September in the TIFF Kids program.[2] The film is nominated for Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 87th Academy Awards (2015).
Plot
The story, based on the ancient Celtic myth of the selkie,[3] concerns two children, Ben and Saoirse, who live in a lighthouse by the sea with their father, Conor, who remains distraught over the loss of his wife several years earlier. Though Ben is aware of the responsibility that comes with being a big brother, he is easily frustrated with Saoirse, who, at six years old, has yet to utter a single word. When Saoirse discovers a shell flute that used to belong to their mother, the spellbinding music she creates becomes both a means of communication and the key to a magical secret locked deep in their mother's past. One night Saoirse is taken into the ocean by a group of smiling seals wearing a shiny, mystical coat that belonged to her mother. It is then revealed that she is a beautiful white Selkie – a mythological being that lives as a human on the land and as a seal underwater – who has a mission to accomplish.[4] After they are sent to live with their granny in the city, Saoirse and Ben must work together to find their way home. Ben soon realizes that his sister holds the power to bring the ancient stories their mother told them to life — but in order to keep these tales alive, she needs to find her voice, and he needs to overcome his deepest fears.
Voice cast
- David Rawle as Ben[1]
- Brendan Gleeson as Conor and Mac Lir[5][1]
- Fionnula Flanagan as Granny and Macha[5][1]
- Lisa Hannigan as Bronagh, Ben and Saoirse's late mother[1]
- Lucy O'Connell as Saoirse[1]
- Jon Kenny as Ferry Dan[1]
- Pat Shortt[1]
- Colm Ó Snodaigh[1]
- Liam Hourican[1]
- Kevin Swierszcz[1]
Release
The film premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on 6 September 2014 in the TIFF Kids program.[2] Theatrically, it was released in France, Belgium and Luxembourg on 10 December 2014.[6] It received a limited release in North America on December 19, 2014. [7] It will receive an Irish premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh ahead of the UK and Irish release on July 10th.[8]
Reception
Early reviews for the film have been positive. Todd Brown, founder and editor of Twitch Film, gave a highly positive review of the film on the site, saying that, "A tale that weds absolutely gorgeous artwork with beautifully nuanced characters and a deep but natural rooting in ancient folk tales and magic, Song Of The Sea has an assured and timeless quality to it. It is the sort of story that feels as though it always existed somewhere, just waiting until now to be told." "Song Of The Sea is not about selling units, it's about story and heart and emotion and wonder and craftsmanship and because of that it becomes timeless, a beautiful piece of art that will delight audiences old and young and confirms what many suspected of Moore after Kells: The man's a master storyteller, and we can only hope he has many, many more stories to tell." [9]
Writing in the Toronto Review, Carlos Aguilar said of the film: "Watching “Song of the Sea” it is easy to assert that this is one of the most blissfully beautiful animated films ever made. It is a gem beaming with awe-inspiring, heartwarming magic".[4]
Soundtrack
Track listing
| No. | Title | Performer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Song Of The Sea" | Lisa Hannigan | 2:42 |
| 2. | "The Mother's Portrait" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 2:27 |
| 3. | "The Sea Scene" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 2:42 |
| 4. | "The Song" | Lisa Hannigan & Lucy O' Connell | 5:17 |
| 5. | "The Key In The Sea" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 0:59 |
| 6. | "The Derry Tune" | Kíla | 1:58 |
| 7. | "In The Streets" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 1:05 |
| 8. | "Dance With The Fish" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 2:07 |
| 9. | "The Seals" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 0:45 |
| 10. | "Something Is Wrong" | Lisa Hannigan | 2:04 |
| 11. | "Run" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 2:32 |
| 12. | "Head Credits" | Lisa Hannigan | 1:45 |
| 13. | "Get Away" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 1:18 |
| 14. | "Help" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 2:33 |
| 15. | "Sadness" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 1:07 |
| 16. | "Molly" | Slim Pezin & Kíla | 1:06 |
| 17. | "I Hate You" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 1:33 |
| 18. | "Who Are You" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 1:20 |
| 19. | "The Storm" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 1:56 |
| 20. | "Katy's Tune" | Kíla | 3:31 |
| 21. | "In The Bus" | Lisa Hannigan | 0:45 |
| 22. | "The Thread" | Lisa Hannigan | 2:25 |
| 23. | "Amhrán Na Farraige" | Lisa Hannigan | 2:45 |
| 24. | "Song Of The Sea (Lullaby)" | Nolwenn Leroy | 3:47 |
| 25. | "La chanson de la mer (berceuse)" | Nolwenn Leroy | 3:48 |
| Total length: | 54:17 | ||
| No. | Title | Performer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Le chant de la mer" | Nolwenn Leroy | 2:42 |
| 2. | "The Mother's Portrait" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 2:27 |
| 3. | "The Sea Scene" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 2:42 |
| 4. | "The Song" | Lisa Hannigan & Lucy O' Connell | 5:17 |
| 5. | "The Key In The Sea" | Kíla | 0:59 |
| 6. | "The Derry Tune" | Kíla | 1:58 |
| 7. | "In The Streets" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 1:05 |
| 8. | "Dance With The Fish" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 2:07 |
| 9. | "The Seals" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 0:45 |
| 10. | "Something Is Wrong" | Nolwenn Leroy | 2:04 |
| 11. | "Run" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 2:32 |
| 12. | "Head Credits" | Nolwenn Leroy | 1:45 |
| 13. | "Get Away" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 1:18 |
| 14. | "Help" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 2:33 |
| 15. | "Sadness" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 1:07 |
| 16. | "Molly" | Slim Pezin & Kíla | 1:06 |
| 17. | "I Hate You" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 1:33 |
| 18. | "Who Are You" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 1:20 |
| 19. | "The Storm" | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | 1:56 |
| 20. | "Katy's Tune" | Kíla | 3:31 |
| 21. | "In The Bus" | Nolwenn Leroy | 0:45 |
| 22. | "The Thread" | Nolwenn Leroy | 2:25 |
| 23. | "Amhrán Na Farraige" | Lisa Hannigan | 2:45 |
| 24. | "La chanson de la mer (berceuse)" | Nolwenn Leroy | 3:47 |
| 25. | "Song Of The Sea (Lullaby)" | Nolwenn Leroy | 3:48 |
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Recipients and nominees | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Festival International des Voix du Cinéma d'Animation (Port Leucate, France)[12] | Prix Spécial du Jury | Song of the Sea | Won |
| 87th Academy Awards[13] | Best Animated Feature | Song of the Sea | Pending | |
| 42nd Annual Annie Awards[14] | Best Animated Feature | Tomm Moore, Paul Young | Pending | |
| Character Design in an Animated Feature Production | Tomm Moore, Marie Thorhauge, Sandra Anderson, Rosa Ballester Cabo | Pending | ||
| Directing in an Animated Feature Production | Tomm Moore | Pending | ||
| Music in a Feature Production | Bruno Coulais & Kíla | Pending | ||
| Production Design in an Animated Feature Production | Adrien Merigeau | Pending | ||
| Writing in an Animated Feature Production | Will Collins | Pending | ||
| Editorial in an Animated Feature Production | Darragh Byrne | Pending |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag Debruge, Peter (21 September 2014). "Film Review: 'Song of the Sea'". Variety. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
- ^ a b Wolfe, Jennifer (19 August 2014). "Cartoon Saloon's 'Song of the Sea' to Premiere at TIFF". Animation World Network. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
- ^ "Screen Daily News Report". screendaily.com. 17 June 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
- ^ a b Aguilar, Carlos (7 September 2014). "Toronto Review: "Song of the Sea" is a Blissfully Beautiful Journey Into Irish Folklore". Toronto Review. Indiewire.com. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
- ^ a b Monji, Jana (20 November 2014). "AFI FEST 2014: HAUNTING STORIES FROM ABROAD". Roger Ebert. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
- ^ "European Release of Song of the Sea". Cartoon Saloon. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
- ^ "GKIDS Announces North American Release Date for 'Song of the Sea'". Animation World Network. 25 August 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ "Irish Film: Oscar nominated Song of the Sea to premiere at Galway Film Fleadh". Scannain. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
- ^ Brown, Todd (7 September 2014). "Toronto 2014 Review: SONG OF THE SEA Is A Timeless Delight For All Ages". Twitch Film. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
- ^ "Song of the Sea (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Various Artists". iTunes Store. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
- ^ "Le chant de la mer (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) par multi-interprètes". iTunes Store. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
- ^ "un Prix spécial du Jury a été attribué au Chant de la mer de Tomm Moore". voixdetoiles.com. 27 October 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
- ^ "Oscars 2015: nominations in full". 15 January 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
- ^ "42nd Annual Annie Award Nominees". Retrieved 1 December 2014.
External links
- Song of the Sea: An animated feature film – The Song of the Sea production blog
- Song of the Sea at IMDb