You Are Here
Directed by Will McConnell / Northern Ireland / 2021 / 13 mins
Synopsis
Two brothers plan to spend quality time together on a weekend hike, but when things go wrong they are forced to confront a rift in their relationship.
Director Statement
‘You Are Here’ is my first fully narrative short. My background is in arthouse documentary and visual art. It was made as part of Northern Ireland Screen’s Short Film Call series, and partly funded by them.
I wrote the script while listening to a lot of folk music. The spirit of folk tales, and mankind’s relationship with nature imbue this story. I was also taking a portrait painting class, and part of this story is an ode to the quiet meditation of handmade arts and crafts.
When I was kid we learned about William Morris and Henri Theroux in school, and I remember being in awe of their ecstatic love for nature, the ambition to live a simplified, wholesome life. The desire to pack it all in and go and live in the tent in the woods is very alluring, but I know in reality I would stick it for all of 30 minutes. In that way, I’m both Adam and Ben.
The tagline ‘a short film about just being there’ is about how as you get older, all the impressive things you used to admire about your friends fall away. In the end the people you keep in your life are the ones who are there for you when you need them, without question. It’s also a call to live in the moment, something I wish I could more.
Screenings
- London Irish Film Festival 2021
Credits
Directed by: Will McConnell
Director Bio
Will McConnell (b. 1983, Northern Ireland) is a filmmaker and visual artist working in documentary, music video and commercials since 2007.His commercial client list includes The British Museum, Universal Music Group and Diageo. Since graduating from the MFA program in Fine Art at Ulster University in 2017, he has been working in experimental video.
