Celtic Utopia

Original title: Útóipe Cheilteach
Year: 2025
Language: English, Irish
Available subtitles: English
Genre: music, culture
Country:  Sweden, Ireland
Runtime:  89min & 58 min
Status:  World Premiere - Locarno International Film Festival  -Critic's Week

Synopsis:

After 100 years of independence, a bold new wave of young Irish artists redefine folk music and reflect over the impact of their colonial history.

Celtic Utopia follows a resurgent wave of alternative folk and traditional musicians who are making music 'to scare priests and politicians.' As they produce melancholic new sounds, they are redefining and problematising the form and reshaping the culture in their own image. The bold, outspoken and humorous young musicians pass the narrative to each other as the film progresses, just as they would pass the melody to each other in a traditional music session. Through their music they tell the story of 100 years of history of a county that went through massive social, political and economic changes.

Some of the Irish musicians featured in Celtic Utopia include The Mary Wallopers, The Deadlians, Poor Creature, Negro Impacto, and Lankum. 

link to trailer

Director: Dennis Harvey, Lars Lovén
Screenplay: Dennis Harvey, Lars Lovén
Cinematography: Tuva Björk, Jamie Goldrick
Editing: Dominika Daubenbüchel
Sound Design: Thomas Jansson
Sound: Lars Lovén, Dennis Harvey, Elin Lilleman Eriksson, Jamie Goldrick
Producer: Elin Lilleman Eriksson
Executive producers: Marta Dauliūtė, Elisabeth Marjanović Cronvall
Production company:  MDEMC
Cast: The Mary Wallopers, The Deadlians, Poor Creature, Negro Impacto, Lankum

Festivals
 Locarno International Film Festival  -Critic's Week
 

Reviews

“this compelling film is more about its modern renaissance, especially in how artists from genres like punk and hip-hop have been influenced by Irish folk’s wrestling with colonial wounds and partial independence” Indiewire