Following rave reviews, standing ovations and an IFTA nomination for Best Documentary, Break Out Pictures has announced the on-demand release of Ross Killeen’s debut film Love Yourself Today on March 14th.

The film will be available to stream or download-to-own on various platforms including Google Play, Virgin Media, IFI @ Home, Volta, Amazon Prime, Apple TV/iTunes, Microsoft Films & TV and Vimeo.

Love Yourself Today centres around the music of Dublin's lion-hearted singer-songwriter Damien Dempsey but also turns the lens onto his fans. Every Christmas in Dublin, crowds gather for the proud Irishman's December gig at Vicar Street.

Through the prism of the concert, we meet Dempsey and three members of the audience. We hear their stories, unravel their grief and find the light in the darkness through communal art. For them, these shows have become a cathartic ritual, a safe space where emotions can be laid bare.

With themes of addiction, loss but also hope and positivity, Dempsey’s music often reflects his fan's pain, alleviates their anguish and ultimately provides peace as they ‘sing all their cares away’.

“Singing and music are two of the few spiritual entities in the physical world, so we need to harness them and get people immersed in them," Dempsey explains, "because when people lose themselves at a gig, when everyone sings together, they carry a vibration away from the gig that spreads out like a ripple into others, it’s a way of healing."

“Pre-Covid, we filmed in Vicar Street and captured the energy and spirituality in the room," adds director Ross Killeen. "It was special, with Damo the conduit on stage. The first job of the film was to capture what happens in the room authentically. The second job was to go deep with our three characters Nadia, Jonathan and Packy as they opened up about things that have happened to them in their lives.

"I’m immensely proud of this film and hope it does justice to the incredible power of Damo’s music and what he stands for but also the honesty, bravery and integrity of our cast. I can’t begin to describe the journey of making this film but I’m really excited by the idea of people watching it together in a cinema soon.”

Love Yourself Today is a Motherland Production in association with Thirty Nine films. It was produced by Ross Killeen and Louise Byrne, with backing from Screen Ireland. Edited by IFTA award winning Mick Mahon.

The beautiful project was carefully shot by Narayan Van Maele, featuring an original soundtrack composed by John Reynolds and Damien Dempsey.

Check out the trailer for Love Yourself Today below:

Revisit the Hot Press December 2021 interview with Damien Dempsey here.