A reluctant retiree struggles in a controlling marriage, until an unlikely friendship with an abandoned teen sex worker teaches her to live life on her own terms, no matter the cost.

The UICC presents a special screening of Verdigis (2023) in partnership with the Irish Film Institute (IFI) International Programme supported by Culture Ireland on Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 7 pm in the St. Francis Room. (2700 45th Ave. SF)

Verdigris is an award-winning MnáMná Films production written and directed by Patri-cia Kelly that tells the story of unhappily married and recently retired workaholic, Mari-an, whose paradigm shifts when she meets young sex worker, Jewel. It’s a realistic, raw tragic alternative buddy movie. The film stars Geraldine McAlinden, Maya O’Shea, and Michael James Ford.

STORY LINE
Trapped in a marriage with a controlling husband, middle-aged, middle-class Marian takes on a secret part-time job as a census enumerator. The job is no picnic. On her tough inner-city route, she faces dismissive and abusive locals who flatly refuse to en-gage in the census. This includes brash and no-nonsense teenager Jewel, who Mari-an soon realizes is living alone with no obvious means of supporting herself. Marian finds herself striking a deal with Jewel – she won’t report her to the authorities if Jewel helps her get the locals to fill out their census forms. As they walk the streets of Dublin, an unlikely friendship blooms.

Director : Patricia Kelly
Stars : Geraldine McAlinden, Maya O’Shea, Michael James Ford
Duration : 95 mins
Language : English
Genre : Drama
Rating : PG
Original Release: 18 November 2023 (UK)

SYNOPSIS : Verdigris is a powerful story about Marian and Jewel, two very different women who form an unlikely bond. Shabby and unfulfilled, middle-aged middle-class Marian takes a job as a census enumerator and befriends local teenager Jewel as she comes to admire the girl’s independence and strength.

AWARDS :
WINNER–Best Independent Film – 2023 Galway Film Fleadh
WINNER–Best Feature Film – 2023 Irish Film Festival London