A quiet, neglected girl is sent away from her dysfunctional family to live with foster parents for the summer. She blossoms in their care, but in this house where there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers one. A film by Colm Bairéad, starring Catherine Clinch, Carrie Crowley, Andrew Bennett, Michael Patric, and Kate Nic Chonaonaigh.

A coming-of-age drama film based on an English short story “FOSTER” by Irish author Claire Keegan, published in 2010, depicts a story of a girl who is sent to live with foster parents on a farm in 1981, while her mother gives birth. She has no notion of when she will return home.

In rural Ireland, 1981, Cáit (Catherine Clinch), a nine-year-old girl, lives in poverty with her alcoholic father (Michael Patric), neglectful mother (Kate Nic Chonaonaigh), and three siblings. Her parents continue to have children, despite their inability to provide for them. Cáit often steals milk from her classmates to stave off her hunger.

While Cáit’s mother is pregnant with another child, due to be born soon, her father drives Cáit, their youngest daughter, to live temporarily on a farm with Seán (Andrew Bennett) and Eibhlín (Carrie Crowley), a middle-aged couple who are moderately wealthy. Eibhlín is distant relative of Cáit’s mother.

Eibhlín, delighted to have a new member of the household, warmly welcomes Cáit, while Seán seems less enthused. Cáit is struck by the contrast between the strangers’ beautiful and clean home and her own dark, dusty home, neglected by her parents.

Cáit receives the love and care that her parents have never provided. Eibhlín bathes her and dresses her in clean clothes. The viewer may notice the boy’s clothes in the wardrobe, but there is no sign of another child, nor is one ever mentioned by the couple. This suggests that they may have had a child of their own. Eibhlín also teaches Cáit to do chores around the house and farm, such as vacuuming, peeling fruit, ironing, and drawing water from the well. The couple lives a simple, routine life.

Eibhlín tells Cáit that a house with secrets is a house with shameful things that the family does not want others to know, but that there are no secrets in this house. Seán, meanwhile, has slowly grown accustomed to Cáit’s presence, and even begins bringing her to assist him at the farm. This transformation makes them all feel like a genuine family.

One day, the couple brings Cáit to attend a wake. Sensing her restlessness and fatigue, Eibhlín allows a neighborly aunt to take Cáit home to play with her children for a few hours. But the aunt is a nosy woman eager to pry into Eibhlín’s family. On the way home, she bombards Cáit with questions: Where does she sleep? What allowance do the couple give her? Is Eibhlín still drinking? Are there any guests visiting? Do they make pastry with butter or margarine? Where does the dog sleep? And, most strangely, do they still keep the boy’s clothes?

Cáit accidentally learns the secret that Eibhlín and Seán have been keeping, from a gossipy neighbor. This is neither an unpredictable twist nor a surprise to viewers, for the death is often difficult to discuss, especially when it involves a child. This loss has clearly shattered Eibhlín and Seán, leaving them unable to bear speaking of it. Later, the couple receives a letter informing them that Cáit’s mother has given birth, and they must return Cáit home before the start of the school year.

Kate McCullough, the Irish cinematographer, crafts the film’s visuals with exceptional skill, imbuing every frame with breathtaking beauty. The story unfolds unhurriedly, a pace that suits its tone and rural setting. The film’s most impressive touches are hidden in small details, such as the cookie that embodies compassion, the sadness reflected in the water, and the conversation under the moonlit beach.

With an intricate and subtle script that is both highly captivating and emotionally resonant, the filmmaker masterfully draws the viewer into a quiet journey that leads to an ending that is both heartwarming and unexpectedly heart-wrenching.

An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl) premiered at Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin on 11 February 2022. The film was theatrically released in Ireland on 13 May, and became the highest-grossing Irish-language film of all time.

An Cailín Ciúin received 11 nominations at the 18th Irish Film & Television Awards (IFTAs) in March 2022, and won in seven categories including Best film, Best Director (Colm Bairéad), Best Actress in a leading role (Catherine Clinch), Best Editing (John Murphy), Best Production Design (Emma Lowney), Best Cinematography (Kate McCullough), and Best Original Music (Stephen Rennicks).

The film was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards, becoming the first Irish film to be nominated in the category’s history.