Irish Film Institute -International Film Directory – Film Listing

David Keenan – Focla ar Chanbás’

David Keenan: Words on Canvas

    • Director

      Paddy Hayes

    • Credits

      Producers:
      Aisling Ní Fhlaithearta,
      Ailbhe Nic Dhonncha

      Writer:
      Paddy Hayes

    • Principal Cast

      David Keenan,
      Evanne Kilgallon

  • Category

    Documentary
    Music

Four years after the breakthrough success of his debut album A Beginner's Guide to Bravery, Dundalk songwriter, musician and composer David Keenan is at a crossroads. After touring extensively and building a reputation as one of Ireland’s leading live performers, he returns to the studio to record new music. “Anger is easy to portray, it’s the hurt that’s hard,” David says, as the film explores his wordsmithing over the course of 500 days. This is a portrait of one artist as a young man, which in turn is a portrait of every musical artist as they endeavor to stand out in a world of “algorithm and blues,” while remaining authentically and powerfully true to themselves.

67 minutes, Ireland, 2025, Colour


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Arts Council of Ireland