Céline Roustan
Grief stricken, and haunted by the memory of her deceased lover, composer Margaret desperately attempts to communicate with her through music. In Don’t Go Where I Can’t Find You, writer/director Rioghnach Ní Ghrioghair immerses us in her main character’s pain and chaos with a distinct and elegant visual flair and astounding sound design. There are films we like a lot, then there are films we love…this is one we fell in love with!
DGWICFY has its own very unique universe, which is both incredibly appealing to the viewer, but also captivating and fascinating in an unsettling way. The film effortlessly draws us in, as we first try to make sense of what’s happening, before realizing that the approach here is much more sensorial. The emotions take our hands and guide us through Margaret’s journey, as she navigates her all-consuming sadness.
“The idea of a haunted composer had been worming its way around my brain for a few years”
Crediting The Piano Teacher, Phantom Thread, The Duke of Burgundy and David Lynch as influences, Ní Ghrioghair shared with us, when we asked about the inspiration behind the film, that “the idea of a haunted composer had been worming its way around my brain for a few years”. From the very beginning she knew she wanted to create the film as an experience where she would “immerse the audience in a feeling of unease, dread and anxiety, and take them on a journey through all elements of music, sound, imagery, and mood”.
The genre dimension of the film, with the presence of the lover’s ghost, combines with the tension of the psychological thriller to cleverly depict Margaret’s intertwined grief and guilt visually, and compellingly for the viewer. Everything that went into each frame, from the costumes to the set design and cinematography makes every single image gorgeous and beguiling, while carrying an emotional weight magnified by the intense and gripping sound design.
And talking of sound, music was always going to be an important part of Don’t Go Where I Can’t Find You’s production and in how it contributes to the film’s universe. As a composer, music allows Margaret to express herself in ways words don’t allow her to. So when it comes to her inner turmoil and pain, music conveys her feelings better than any words could, by triggering emotions. Recording the score before going into production meant it actually turned into an “emotional spine” for the film, which the director and her team we crafted everything else around.
Marie Ruane as Margaret in Don’t Go Where I Can’t Find You
As Margaret, Marie Ruane’s (who long time S/W fans might recognise from 2014 pick Foxes) performance is stunning. Her nuanced and incredibly touching portrayal of grief carries the film as she takes us inside her character’s fragile emotional state. Both Juliette Crosbie and Stephanie Dufresne, in the supporting roles, complement Ruane’s performance perfectly, allowing her to show the different sides, and vulnerabilities, of her character with an enthralling chemistry.
Having first caught our eye on the festival circuit, where it played SXSW, the Palm Springs ShortFest and Fantasia, we are delighted to host the online premiere of Don’t Go Where I Can’t Find You on Short of the Week. With Ní Ghrioghair already working on a slate of new genre narratives for TV and Film, we’re sure you’ll be seeing a lot more of her work in the near future.