A new UK trailer for an upcoming music documentary titled The Job of Songs has been released by Central City Media. The film was awarded “Best International Documentary” at Galway Film Fleadh (2022) and will be released on digital from 25th September.
The Job of Songs is produced by Lila Schmitz, Fengyi Xu, and Anika Kan Grevstad. It is an intimate film about the musicians of County Clare. Tourists flock to the west coast of Ireland to take in the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher, but the real treasure lies in the soulful, acoustic sounds wafting out of pubs and living rooms of the unspoiled coastal village of Doolin. Travelers from around the world gather in the local pubs to hear the traditional Irish music, which threads through the generations creating community, connection, and joy. But things are changing: facing rapid modernization at the hands of tourism, confronting depression and mental health issues, and grappling with a history of colonization and oppression, the people of Doolin turn to music to find solace.
Director Lila Schmitz had the following to say about the upcoming film.
“The Job of Songs was born of a feeling. When I travelled to Ireland for the first timne, chasing my ancestral roots, I stepped into a session in Doolin, County Clare and the feeling overwhelmed me. I could not describe it in words, yet there was something so important and gripping in those moments spent in the pub. The community. The history. The music. It did not leave me. I wanted to capture this feeling the best way I know how – and so this film came into being.
We spent time in County Clare getting to know the musicians and music lovers of the area, hearing stories and forging relationships. We were so fortunate to earn people’s trust and time and spent four weeks exchanging stories and tunes with the vibrant community.
My grandmother says that the Irish keep everything inside, never burst, and then die. That’s how it was when she was being raised by Irish immigrants in Chicago, and that’s how it was when her parents were being raised in Kerry, Ireland: just don’t say anything. And so, music is a way for us to unleash our feelings so that we may express the unspoken.”
Here’s the promo. Looks interesting.
