WILDFIRE
★★★★
OUT 3 SEPTEMBER / CERT 15 / 84 MINS
DIRECTOR Cathy Brady
CAST Nika McGuigan, Nora-Jane Noone
Returning home to her hometown on the Northern Ireland border after years in the wilderness, Kelly (McGuigan, who sadly died from cancer in 2019) reconnects with her settled sister Laura (Noone), a couple joined in grief by the mysterious death of their mother. Debutante writerdirector Cathy Brady tangibly creates a portrait of a complex intense sisterly bond — perfectly exemplified in a terrific feral dance scene — as the pair try to come to terms with their past. Sometimes it bites off more than it can chew — parallels between the disunity of the sisters and the divisions in Ireland feel forced — but the central performances are ferocious and Brady’s filmmaking is unshowy but vital, including cinema’s most vibrant red coat since Don’t Look Know.