Feature Documentaries

Celtic Utopia Útóipe Cheilteach

Directed by Dennis Harvey, Lars Lovén

Screening at DIFF 2026

Sun1 12:00 PM to 1:30 PMSunday 1 Nov · PictureTime 1

Plan it in the app

Opens the free DIFF 2026 app. It checks for clashes and adds walking time between screens.

Runtime: 90 min
Year: 2025
Countries: Ireland, Sweden
Language: English, Irish
Subtitles: English

Synopsis

Celtic Utopia tells the story of a new Ireland and its vibrant music scene, but also of a post-colonial society wrestling with its heritage. A society where folk music carries the oppression of the past and the dream of a bright future. The Irish folk music renaissance sees artists from punk, hip-hop and beyond rediscovering an ancient tradition and taking it in unexpected directions. In Celtic Utopia, they take us on a ballad tour around the island, telling stories and singing songs to understand their past and heal their colonial wounds. Archive footage ties the present to Ireland’s troubled past, creating a portrait of an island coming to terms with its first 100 years of partial independence.

Directors

Dennis HarveyDennis Harvey is an Irish filmmaker whose documentaries explore political questions through intimate, human stories. His films include The Building and Burning of a Refugee Camp (2024), winner of the Guldbagge for Best Short Film, and Útóipe Cheilteach (2025), which premiered at Locarno. He is a member of the European…

Lars LovénDirectorLars Lovén is a Swedish documentary filmmaker, journalist and radio producer whose work explores music, politics and history. His feature Fonko (2016) screened in over 40 countries. His second feature, Útóipe Cheilteach (2025), premiered at Locarno. He has also made music documentaries for Swedish National Radio P2…

Cast and crew

Producer: Elin Lilleman Eriksson
Cinematographer: Tuva Björk, Jamie Goldrick
Editor: Dominika Daubenbüchel
Music: Music from eighteen artists including The Mary Wallopers, Poor Creature and Lankum.
Cast: The Mary Wallopers, Negro Impacto, The Deadlians, Jinx Lennon, Poor Creature, Branwen, Lankum, Naoise Mac Cathmhaoil, Rising Damp, Young Spencer, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, Róis, Post Punk Podge, Susan Hughes, Tadhg Mulligan, Alfie Mulligan, Múlú, Niamh Moriarty, Cathail O’Mhaoil, Summer Newman, Eimear Níc Ionnrachtaigh, Eoghan Ó Garmaile

Festivals and awards

Locarno Film Festival 2025 – Semaine de la Critique: Grand Prix
Cork International Film Festival 2025
Leeds International Film Festival 2025 – Best Documentary Feature: Audience Award
Göteborg Film Festival 2026
Cinéma du Réel 2026

On diff.co.in Letterboxd IMDb