Martin McDonagh’s Golden Globe-winning and Academy Award-nominated The Banshees of Inisherin focuses a lot on the beauty of the island where the central characters live, and while the place from the story may not exist, the locations where the movie was filmed do. Set in 1923 on a rural island off the coast of Ireland, The Banshees of Inisherin follows Pádraic (Colin Farrell) and his best friend, Colm (Brendan Gleeson), who one day decides he doesn’t want to spend time with his longtime pal anymore.
During The Banshees of Inisherin’s time period, Ireland's civil war affects the mainland, but the events aren’t really felt on Inisherin, where the fight between Pádraic and Colm alters the island’s balance even more. The remoteness of Inisherin makes the landscape an integral part of the story, as the setting is just as important as what happens to the characters. Here's a look at that fictional setting and the real locations where The Banshees of Inisherin was filmed and its nine Oscar nominations explained.
Inis Mor, Aran Islands
The Banshees of Inisherin’s story unfolds on the fictional island of Inisherin, but while the place might not exist, the movie was partially shot on Inis Mor, the biggest island of the Aran Islands archipelago. Off the west coast of Ireland, Inis Mor is known for its monuments, religious sites, and beautiful coastal views, which are often in stark contrast to the vicious confrontations between Pádraic and Colm. However, Martin McDonagh's movie makes perfect use of Inis Mor’s locations, offering the ideal backdrop to the often emotional exchanges between the two former friends.
Achill Island, West Coast Of Ireland
The Banshees of Inisherin was also filmed on Achill Island. Connected to the mainland of Ireland through a bridge, Achill Island is part of the Wild Atlantic Way, one of the longest coastal routes in the world, starting in Derry and ending near Cork, in the south of Ireland. Keem Bay on Achill Island also appears in The Banshees of Inisherin and, considering how some of the most poignant exchanges between Colm and Pádraic happen on a beach in The Banshees of Inisherin’s ending, its beauty and the landscape work as a perfect backdrop to their climactic meeting.
Another important setting to Pádraic and Colm’s fights in The Banshees of Inisherin was J. J. Devine Pub. Although the pub was located on Achill Island while filming the movie, it was actually built rather than found. Indeed, production designer Mark Tildesley revealed that, just like Pádraic and Siobhan's house, the pub was built from scratch after McDonagh chose the view that should have surrounded the buildings. The buildings later had to be torn down to preserve the natural beauty of the filming locations. This process guaranteed the best scenery against which to set Pádraic and Colm’s story, making The Banshees of Inisherin truly shine on its own.
The Banshees Of Inisherin Oscar Nominations Explained
The 2023 Oscar nominations list has been posted, and surely The Banshees of Inisherin's setting had some part to play in its whopping nine Oscar nominations. The backdrop of the Irish Civil War sets the stage for Martin McDonagh's film, and his efforts didn't go unnoticed as The Banshees of Inisherin is currently up for the Best Picture award. In terms of Best Picture, The Banshees of Inisherin's contenders are quite strong, as the film has to fight against heavy hitters like The Fabelmans, Everything Everywhere All at Once, All Quiet on the Western Front, Avatar: The Way of Water, and the biggest hit of 2022, Top Gun: Maverick.
Best Picture wasn't the only nomination, however, as Martin McDonagh is personally up for two awards, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. As well, The Batman actor Barry Keoghan and Brendan Gleeson were both nominated for a Best Supporting Actor award, while Kerry Condon was given the honor of a Best Supporting Actress nomination. Colin Farrell is up for a Best Actor award, and The Banshees of Inisherin also scooped up nominations for Best Original Score and Best Film Editing — the latter of which helped to bring the stunning Ireland locales and set-pieces to vivid life in every shot.