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KICKING THE BUCKET LIST (AN IRISH GOODBYE)

© Floodlight Pictures & Northern Ireland Screen 

Martin McDonagh did it in 2006 with 'Six Shooter'.

Terry George achieved it in 2012 with 'The Shore' starring Ciaran Hinds, Conleth Hill and Kerry Condon.

Could the Anglo Irish partnership of Ross White and Tom Berkeley be the next winners for Best Live Action Short for the island of Ireland?

Winner of the Best Short Film Award at this year's BAFTAs, 'An Irish Goodbye' is the frontrunner for the Academy Award this Sunday.

And it's easy to understand why.

© Floodlight Pictures & Northern Ireland Screen 

White and Berkeley's short is a genial tale of two brothers in Northern Ireland, James Martin's Lorcan and Seamus O'Hara'a Turlough reconnecting after the death of their mother, Grainne. 

Turlough has been living in London and returns to the family farm in the Mourne Mountains of Co Down for her funeral and cremation.

Lorcan has Down Syndrome and is facing the prospect of having to move in with his aunt following Grainne's death.

At the start of the film, both brothers travel to the farm in the car of Paddy Jenkins' Fr O'Shea.

© Floodlight Pictures & Northern Ireland Screen 

As he leaves off the brothers, the priest mentions a note found on the body of their mother.

Lorcan takes the piece of paper and while Turlough makes plans to sell the farm, his brother insists on honouring the 100 wishes on her bucket list.

Turlough reluctantly goes along with Lorcan's wishes - learning tai chi, flying with balloons, smoking pot, nude modelling and skydiving.

As they perform the tasks, announced by 'Game of Thrones' and 'Gangs of London' star Michelle Fairley as the voice of Grainne, will the brothers close enough for Lorcan to persuade his brother not to go back to England?

© Floodlight Pictures & Northern Ireland Screen 

And will they get through the entire list?

Written and directed by White and Berkeley is a simple idea well executed.

There's nothing fussy about its directly .

It just cracks on with the story and is reliant on Jenkins, O'Hara and mostly Martin to deliver its laughs.

© Floodlight Pictures & Northern Ireland Screen 

Martin is unquestionably the film's MVP.

He delivers his performance as Lorcan with real passion and humour, while O'Hara enjoys being mostly the straight man.

There's a slight strain of 'Fr Ted' in the short's quirky humour, as well as a liberal sprinkling of the word "feck" throughout.

At its heart, though, is a tender portrait of brothers sharing time together as they cope with the loss of a loved one and the implications for them.

© Floodlight Pictures & Northern Ireland Screen 

It is to 'An Irish Goodbye's credit that its treatment of Lorcan's Down Syndrome is neither condescending nor trite.

The film also benefits from cinematographer Narayan Van Maele's sharp eye for gorgeous landscape shots and Stephen Dunne's pacy editing.

In a year where Ireland has delivered an unprecedented 14 Oscar nominations for the island, with 'The Banshees of Inisherin' and the Best Foreign Language Feature nominee, 'An Cailin Ciuin (The Quiet Girl)' charming audiences and critics, White and Berkeley's film has probably landed at the right time.

It could well ride the crest of a green wave on Sunday night.

© Floodlight Pictures & Northern Ireland Screen 

Certainly, it has the best shot at Oscar glory of the three Irish made films.

Win or lose, though, how White and Berkeley progress their careers will be fascinating.

But everyone should be raising a glass to Martin, in particular, who is the heart and soul of this charming, yet mischievous short.

('An Irish Goodbye' was broadcast on RTE1 on March 11, 2023 and BBC1 on March 12, 2023 and is available now for streaming on the BBC iPlayer)

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