Samhain, written and starring Amy, and directed by her husband Seán Branigan, is a story close to the couple’s hearts
Tell us about this short film; what can people expect?
Expect the unexpected. At first glance, the film begins with the daily life struggle of a working mother and her neurodivergent son. Yet as the story unfolds, he goes missing from his preschool. It takes on an experiential element where my character must almost delve into the imagination of her child, to follow his tracks in the hope of finding him. It’s a film about grief, connection and through acceptance we can meet each other exactly where we are.
It is a piece of work very close to your heart — can you explain why you made this film?
Originally, when I began writing this film, it was my way of processing a strange and very particular grief that came upon me when my son was diagnosed with Autism. Although my son, River was exactly the same child he had been minutes before the diagnosis, something had shifted within me. On one hand, there was an explanation, a way forward. But on the other hand, there was a deep sadness because I knew that this world is not yet set up for a child like mine. So, although it was a deeply personal story, it was also deeply healing. It was a way of processing all of these feelings and transforming them into a piece of art that would hopefully be able to help others.
It must have been a deeply emotional filming experience at times. What with you writing and starring in it, alongside your husband directing, it must have felt incredibly personal and as you describe it, raw.
It was an extremely emotional experience, yes. But I have such an overwhelming feeling of pride. And not just for us as a family, but I feel so proud to be a part of a community who came together to make this project. The first morning of the shoot, when I saw such incredibly talented cast and crew setting up, I nearly wept. When I saw the film for the first time, I wept. So yes, emotional is definitely a good word to use!
What was your hope going into this project? What kind of conversations do you hope it will inspire?
My intention was to show a totally authentic, no holds barred experience of what life can be like as the mother of a neurodivergent child. How the most ordinary tasks can become so insanely difficult. Or how you can walk the tightrope of just the day to day mundanity, with the deepest emotions you’ve ever felt. I suppose representing what life is truly like for us, and the huge juxtaposition of feeling completely disconnected, while feeling the deepest intensity of emotion you’ve ever felt. As a parent of a neurodivergent child, we will often be met with phrases like “He’s doing great”, “Sure, we’re all on the spectrum”. or ” How autistic is he?” – and I’d love to open up that conversation into something a bit less reductive. Perhaps creating a bit more understanding, not only for the child, but the caregivers too.
What does the title Samhain represent in this film’s context?
Samhain has a couple of meanings in the context of the film. First and foremost, it is the neurodivergent boy’s name. I enjoyed the concept of having an unusual and/or Irish child’s name.
On a very base level, the very last thing that you want to do in a public setting, when your child is overstimulated and having a meltdown is draw any more attention to yourself. If your child has an unusual name (as I said, my son’s name is River!) – attention is immediately drawn. I enjoyed the idea of putting my character in a difficult situation like that.
But on a deeper level, Samhain represents rebirth and the shift of seasons. Samhain in it’s essence is the end of summer, leaves changing colour and falling, and a harvest for the darker days ahead. The change in my character Emma, felt elemental in that way too. Almost as if through her acceptance of her son… she was shedding and transforming herself.
You say as the mother of a neurodivergent child, this is the kind of film you would like to see. What do you want parents on a similar journey to take away from this?
To feel less alone. To feel seen. To understand that they are doing a brilliant job. To feel ok with the fact that this wasn’t in their plan. To allow themselves to feel the grief, which inevitably will lead to acceptance. And to know that the world they have embarked upon is truly magic.
You shared a post with River last year for World Autism Day, saying you are “learning to paint with a new colour” and that it is society’s responsibility to rise up and meet people exactly where they are, not “mash a beautiful soul into something they are not” — beautifully put and something you clearly feel passionately about.
Yes, I really am. The young actor (Niall Deakin) who played Samhain in the film is neurodivergent and this was hugely important when we were casting the film. Shauna Griffith was so brilliant in helping us find some wonderful neurodivergent child actors. And it wasn’t just Samhain; many Heads of Department on the crew were also neurodivergent. There was something deeply liberating about the fact that we were all taking care of each others needs and collectively rising up to meet each other where we were. It is not a case of making allowances for people. It was more a case of creating a supportive space where everyone could work at their peak and let their talents really shine.
You have a children’s book in the works, My Brother’s A River. Is this designed for children with autism/other forms of neurodivergence?
Yes. My Brother’s a River was actually inspired by our daughter Billie. She is the most incredible big sister. It was born from a desire to create something for the siblings of neurodivergent children. So often, a sibling like that will take a lot of the emotional weight. It can be so much pressure on them. It was also a way to explain to kids, why their siblings were slightly different. Because we still live in a world, where there will be cruel comments and it can be really upsetting for the sibling of a neurodivergent child. I wrote it and my husband Seán illustrated it. It’s like a little love letter to Billie that she’ll always have.
Samhain is premiering at Dublin International Film Festival this coming Friday, 20 February. It will air on Virgin Media One on 25 February at 10pm and will be available to watch on the Virgin Media Player.
