- Film And TV
- 06 Jul 21
The film, which follows Damien Dempsey and turns the lens onto his fans, will get a theatrical release this Autumn.
A new trailer for Love Yourself Today, the Break Out Pictures film that follows Damien Dempsey's legendary Christmas gig at Vicar Street in Dublin, has unveiled a new trailer.
For many, Dempsey's shows have become a cathartic ritual, a safe space where emotions can be laid bare. Through the prism of the concert, the film follows Dempsey and three members of his audience. They share their stories, unravel their grief and find the light in the darkness through communal art.
With themes of addiction, loss but also hope and positivity, Dempsey’s music often reflects his fans' pain, alleviates their anguish and ultimately provides peace as they ‘sing all their cares away’.
Hot Press has called the film – which is part documentary, part concert film – "a powerful call for empathy and understanding. Love Yourself Today is an emotional celebration of modern spirituality and the power of music in healing.
“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."
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“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.”
Watch the trailer below.