The central character of Lorcan Finnegan's feature film, a land surveyor called Eric Maybury, has lost his way emotionally, and is alienated from his family when a crack forms in his psyche that allows the supernatural to enter his life and take hold (that's what it says here). When Eric is sent to measure up an ancient forest that has no name – it's known as Gan Ainm by the locals – by a dubious developer (is there any other kind?) he discovers that it appears to have been imbued with an intelligence, or supernatural force and it may (or may not) be protecting itself from being measured by Eric.
"The viewer has to experience it as Eric experiences it and he's not sure what's happening…"
Lorcan was in studio with Seán Rocks on Arena, to talk about Without Name, his debut feature film, set in a world of infidelity, dodgy property deals and mythical forces of nature. Our hero Eric discovers a book in a cottage in the forest, something that will sound familiar to fans of The Evil Dead, but Eric's book is all about trees, and it posits, among other things, the notion that trees and fungus communicate with one another.
"Essentially the forest is trying to tell Eric something by connecting with the mushrooms that he ends up taking."
Seán was very impressed with the look of the film, the way it was shot and how stunning the location was. The main shoot, Lorcan told him, was in Glendalough, which, they were very lucky to get, he says, because it's a national park. And the effects that make it look as though the trees are alive and the forest floor is moving were achieved without using computer-generated imagery. It all sounds intriguing.
Without Name goes on limited release this Friday (and Seán Rocks recommends seeing it on the big screen!)
You can hear the entire interview – as well as clips from Without Name – here: