Video
Review: The Secret of Roan Inish
by
Karl Bowman and Jonathan Walker
A
young girl is captivated by the stories spun from the past by
her Irish grandparents.
As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
we can understand the significance of place. We have strong feelings
for Nauvoo, the Sacred Grove, or Temple Square. Of course, we
are not unique: Mecca, the Imperial Palace, and Jerusalem all
possess great meaning to devotees.
Religious experience can infuse a simple plot of earth with immense
meaning that speaks to the soul. Family life (generationally speaking)
can do it too. Many have had the uncanny experience of visiting
a nation from whence their ancestors came and instantly feeling
as though somehow they had come home. But, how are these feelings
passed along from generation to generation amidst social and geographic
changes? Through stories.
Unraveling
the Secret
In
The Secret of Roan Inish, ten year-old Fiona Conneely
is sent to live with her grandparents in a small Irish fishing
village. There, she is captivated by stories of her family's past
and their ancestral home--the island of Roan Inish. Through excursions
to the remote island, she discovers that it holds a secret which
magically weaves the past, present, and future together into a
rich legacy.
Unlike modern trends in storytelling, this movie focuses on the
oral tradition of our grandparents and great-grandparents. In
the days before "media" was a household term, entertainment was
provided by those who could spin tales full of drama, mystery,
wisdom and humor--usually the elders in the family.
Renowned independent filmmaker, John Sayles, places us in Fiona's
point of view as she listens to oral stories from members of her
extended family. At the feet of her grandfather, we learn how
Fiona's little brother Jimmy disappeared into the ocean the day
her family moved from Roan Inish, the island of seals. Her young
cousin Eamon intrigues her with accounts of how some say they
have seen Jimmy. Another relative explains why some of the Conneelys
are born dark instead of blond. He explains how their family is
mystically related to the seals which inhabit the island, adding
to the mystery of her origins.
Finding
her Meaning
Fiona doesn't find out about the life of her parents and her ancestors
by accident, and she doesn't find it out chronologically. At first,
these tales seem to be beside the point, or completely unrelated.
We may have the tendency to complain that the movie isn't "going
anywhere" because of the constant stories--strange stories that
can hardly be true. A single hue might give us a clue where the
piece should be placed, but we don't anticipate the fantastical
final picture. In her search for understanding, Fiona finds her
family, her meaning, her place in the world--in short, the secret
of Roan Inish.
Jeni Courtney, in her first film role, gives a luminous performance
as Fiona. Somehow this young girl is able to hold the entire film
together with her innocence and strength of character. Writer/director
John Sayles continues to show adeptness in immersing himself in
a particular environment
and telling engaging and personal stories. He is a rare breed
of filmmaker who finances his own movies and does not depend on
the major Hollywood studios. This independence, though hard won,
gives him the freedom to create on his own terms. Each of his
films surprises us with its distinctness.
When we see Fiona succeed in discovering her secret, we begin
to feel that life holds such significance for us as well. Our
connection with place--the home where we grew up, the Stake Center
where we were baptized, or the land where our ancestors struggled
for survival--has the potential to remind us of our own "secrets"--what
we stand for and what gives us identity.
The Secret of Roan Inish reminds us, both in form and
content, the importance of stories in passing on our family heritage
and providing meaning in life. It is important for us to remember
the lessons and experiences of the past. Through accounts and
stories, even the scriptures help us remember: remember the captivity
of our fathers, remember their deliverance, remember great prophecies,
remember the miracles of Jesus, remember the testimony of those
who came before. Likewise, through our personal "stories", written
records and spoken testimony, our children and families may find
a sense of belonging and a sense of home--earthly and spiritual.
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