86. The Secret of Roan Inish

After her mother dies, ten-year-old Fiona is sent to live with relatives on the Irish coast. She listens intently as her grandfather talks about the ancestral home they had to abandon, the island of Roan Inish, which translates "island of the seals." Fiona is drawn to this place and the stories connected with it. There is one about a creature, a "Selkie" who was half human and half seal; she married into the family, had children, but eventually put her seal skin back on and escaped into the sea. There is also the tragic story of her own baby brother, Jamie, who was carried out to sea in his cradle.

Visiting Roan Inish with her grandparents, Fiona discovers footprints in the sand and ashes in the hearth of the stone house that her family left years ago. Much to her surprise, she sees a little boy who has been living among the island's seals and gulls. She is convinced that her long lost brother is alive.

This lyrical film, written and directed by John Sayles, is based on a 1957 novel by Rosalie K. Fry. Sayles tells the story in a very straight-forward manner, without any cutesy, supernatural embellishments. As a result, we find ourselves caught up in Fiona's activities on Roan Inish, believing as she does in all the secrets it holds. This delicate and parabolic story speaks volumes about the spiritual longing for home and the deep meanings which can be conveyed by family stories, communication with animals, and a magical connection with a place. (Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat)