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Based on internationally acclaimed Irish author John McGahern's award winning novel of the same name, That They May Face the Rising Sun is a vivid evocation of nature, humanity and life itself, set in a 1980's rural community in Ireland.

Joe and Kate Ruttledge have returned from London to live and work among the small, close-knit community near to where Joe grew up. Now deeply embedded in life around the lake, the drama of a year in their lives and those of the memorable characters around them unfolds through the rituals of work, play and the passing seasons as this enclosed world becomes an everywhere.

Director: Pat Collins
Actor: Barry Ward, Anna Bederke, Lalor Roddy, Sean McGinley, Ruth McCabe
United Kingdom, Ireland
Language: English, Duration 107 min, Genres: Drama

REVIEWS

The payoff is intense.

Rogerebert.com by Sheila O'Malley

This film is very touching, and is a rare glimpse into a forgotten world. It’s beautiful and enriching to watch, and it’s a rare gem.

Staten Islander by Hannah Moller

meditative portrait of traditional, rural life in a changing Ireland.

Boston Globe by James Sullivan

The Film's Beauty Transcends Its Plot & Characters

Screen Rant by Nick Bythrow

A heartwarming, life-affirming, gossamer-delicate creation that will reset your citified heart, That They May Face the Rising Sun says a lot but says it quietly.

Movieweb by Mark Keizer

gloriously engrossing, and it garners 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Digital Journal by Markos Papadatos

But like many good historical films, it’s perhaps more about the present – or even an imagined future... the focus is on the power of a local community.

Catholic Herald Fr Dominic White

beautifully realised and quietly beguiling

Screen Daily Allan Hunter

This is a remarkably calming film, removed from the fast-pace of urban life and deeply connected to both the land and the past.

Shadows on the Wall by Rich Cline

here’s a film that unwraps its mysteries slowly, revealing under its quiet surface the human condition writ delicate but deep.

Financial Times ★★★★★ - 5 star review

Using subtle visual motifs to elucidate the film’s themes, he takes an unhurried approach to his characters’ lives, trusting the audience to understand they’re rich enough and colourful enough to forgo the need for melodramatic embellishment.

The Scotsman ★★★★ - 4 star review

subtle and dignified performances across the board

The Guardian ★★★ - 3 star review

The rain comes down, the sun shines, grass grows, children grow old and die. That’s the holy all of it” – and Collins brings the curious, attentive eye of the documentarian to capturing these moments, making That They May Face the Rising Sun a quietly captivating experience.

Sight and Sound Philip Concannon

PLAYDATES

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QUAD CINEMA
New York, NY
April 11 - 17, 2025

Laemmle Royal
Los Angeles, CA
April 11 - 17, 2025

Dedham Community Theatre
Dedham, MA
April 11 - 17, 2025

Tara Theatre Atlanta
Atlanta, GA
April 11 - 17, 2025

Dairy Arts Center
Boulder, CO
April 16 - 20, 2025

VIFF
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
April 18 - 24, 2025

Playhouse Cinema
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
April 18 - 24, 2025

Princess Twin Cinemas
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
April 25 - May 1, 2025

Hyland Cinema
London, Ontario, Canada
April 25 - May 1, 2025

Theater N
Wilmington, DE
April 25 - 27, 2025

Mary D Fisher
Sedona, AZ
April 25 - May 1, 2025

Fine Arts Theatre
Kansas City, MO
April 25 - May 1, 2025

Cleveland Institute of Art
Cleveland, OH
April 26 - 27, 2025

The Flix
Boise, ID
May 16 - May 22, 2025

ByTowne Cinema
Ottawa, Canada
May 16, 19, 20, 2025