TIFF 2024: Blue Road – The Edna O’Brien Story (Coming Soon Movie Trailer)
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If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to defy an entire nation’s expectations, Blue Road – The Edna O’Brien Story is a documentary you won’t want to miss at TIFF 2024. Directed by Sinéad O’Shea, this film explores the life and legacy of Irish literary rebel Edna O’Brien, who famously challenged Ireland’s strict societal norms with her provocative and groundbreaking work.
From her breakout 1960 novel The Country Girls, which shook Ireland with its candid depiction of female sexuality, to her unapologetically adventurous personal life, O’Brien’s story is one of courage, resilience, and unfiltered honesty. Sinéad O’Shea takes us behind the scenes of O’Brien’s life, using unpublished diaries, decades of TV appearances, and intimate new interviews with O’Brien herself—sharp and insightful even in her 90s.
Through interviews with her sons Carlo and Sasha, we also get a glimpse into what it was like growing up with a literary icon as a mother, not to mention house guests like Marlon Brando and Judy Garland! Writer Gabriel Byrne and author Walter Mosley also share how O’Brien’s work left a profound mark on their lives.
Blue Road dives deep into O’Brien’s personal struggles, from her oppressive marriage to writer Ernest Gébler (who belittled her work) to her battle against government and church censorship. There’s no shortage of drama in O’Brien’s life, and this film delivers it all with the same candidness that made her novels so famous.
If you’re into stories about fierce women who rewrite the rules, this documentary will be your jam.
Showtimes:
- Saturday, September 7: Scotiabank Theatre Toronto, 6:00 pm (Press & Industry)
- Sunday, September 8: Scotiabank Theatre Toronto, 6:45 pm
- Monday, September 9: Scotiabank Theatre Toronto, 3:00 pm
- Saturday, September 14: Scotiabank Theatre Toronto, 3:00 pm
Grab your tickets and get ready to be inspired by Edna O’Brien’s incredible journey!
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