Back in Ireland for some Celtic faerie lore, and the appearance of a ‘selkie’ in the nets of Cork fisherman Colin Farrell. When he takes sea-nymph Alicja Bachleda ashore, fortune begins smiling on him, but can the legends really co-exist with a gnarled modern world of complex domestic arrangements, drink problems and a daughter on dialysis?

Jordan attempts the near-impossible in crafting a story that’s ethereal and tough at the same time, and if it never quite comes together, it’s certainly a distinctive entry in his filmography, shot in hues of rich marine green by Wong Kar-Wai’s cameraman Chris Doyle.

Showing as part of our Neil Jordan Retrospective which runs throughout May. His new film, Byzantium, opens on May 31st.

See our online exhibition of some of Neil Jordan’s substantial document collections held by the IFI Irish Film Archive.