Christy follows a teenage boy from an Irish suburb, on the verge of turning 18—an age that means he will soon age out of the care system. He ends up in the custody of his estranged half-brother, a man trying to build the kind of family he never had. Though initially worlds apart, the two slowly begin to confront and reconcile the traumas of their past in this moving slice-of-life drama populated by vivid, life-filled characters.
The feature directorial debut of Brendan Canty—known for his award-winning short films and Hozier’s iconic “Take Me to Church” music video—Christy premiered in the Generation 14plus section of the Berlin International Film Festival, where it was awarded the Grand Prix. Screen International praised it as “at its strongest and most authentic when portraying two boys who have lost everything and trust no one, not even each other.” Part of the film’s team will attend the Opening Gala in Cluj.
Christy also launches TIFF’s new competitive section, Teen Spirit, dedicated to exploring youth culture through fiction and documentary films. The section will feature nine titles, evaluated by a jury made up of local teenagers aged 16 to 20. More details will be announced soon.
