Kirsty has a secret lover, Murdo, who is conscripted to fight in The Great War. On the eve of his departure the village hosts a road dance for the soon-to-be soldiers when an assault sees her life take a drastic and dramatic turn.
The film is effective at portraying the dreadful effect the war had on small communities. The aesthetic of the piece is striking, it’s beautifully crafted, managing to blend the suffocation of Kirsty’s existence, with the freeing, endless possibility of the broad landscape.
This is a compelling and visually stunning period drama that focusses on the scars left by conflict, especially on women.