A Guide to Becoming an Elm Tree

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A Guide to Becoming an Elm Tree
Directed byAdam Mann
Skye Mann
Written byAdam Mann
Skye Mann
Produced byAdam Mann
Skye Mann
Starring
  • James Healy-Meaney
  • Gerry Wade
  • M.J. Sullivan
CinematographyConor Tobin
Music byCarlos Solares
Release date
  • 11 June 2023 (2023-06-11) (Achill International Film Festival)
Running time
75 minutes
CountryIreland
LanguageEnglish

A Guide to Becoming an Elm Tree is a 2023 Irish folk horror film written and directed by Adam and Skye Mann, starring James Healy-Meaney, Gerry Wade and M.J. Sullivan. It was the Mann's debut feature.

  • James Healy-Meaney
  • Gerry Wade
  • M.J. Sullivan

Production

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Adam and Skye Mann, who live in Vancouver, went to Ireland in December 2021 to shoot the film, which they wrote, directed, produced and edited. They funded the film's production.[1]

Release

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The film had its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest on 25 September 2023.[2]

Reception

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JP Nunez of Horror Obsessive called the film a "beautiful, flawlessly executed ghost story about the pain of grief and the finality of death."[3] Nadine Whitney of Alliance of Women Film Journalists described the film as a "disquieting and eerie work with an impeccable pictorial language." She praised the script and direction, calling it "as beguiling as the ancient mythology they invoke. “Nothing comes for free,” is a tale oft repeated in folklore"[4] Stephanie Archer of Film Inquiry called the film a "must see" and wrote: "Feeling ancient in it origin, yet modern in its catharsis, A Guide to Becoming an Elm Tree is one of the biggest surprises out of Fantastic Fest."[5] Andy Crump of Paste gave the film a score of 8.6/10 and wrote: "The film isn't a scare-a-minute affair. It’s thick with foreboding and heartache, and that’s the most Irish that Irish cinema gets."[6]

References

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