REVEALED: The deceptively simple reason that Tin Castle - a moving new documentary about a Traveller family - earned its 'surreal' standing ovation from a star-studded audience at this year's Cannes Film Festival...

Published: 17:07, 28 May 2026 | Updated: 17:07, 28 May 2026 Their standing ovation at Cannes Film Festival marked the culmination of years spent quietly immersed in the lives of one Traveller family. The Irish team behind the critically acclaimed new documentary, Tin Castle, has described the response of some of the world’s leading directors and actors as ‘spectacular’ and ‘surreal’. The Irish/French co-production – directed by Paris-born Irish filmmaker Alexander Murphy – was the only Irish film se1lected to premiere as part of Critics’ Week in Cannes. Speaking about the standing ovation that the film received, producer Eamon Hughes of Samson Films told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘There are massive films at Cannes, the biggest directors you’ve ever heard of, huge stars everywhere. ‘And then there’s our tiny film, made for peanuts, standing there among them. It was spectacular. It was amazing. It was surreal.’ Tin Castle follows the O’Reilly family – Pa’, Lisa and their 10 children – through their daily routines, tensions and moments of tenderness, all while avoiding the clichés often associated with portrayals of the community. Hughes added: ‘What captivated Alexander [the director] was the love these parents had for their children.  'There was such dignity and humanity there. That closeness within the family unit is something we don’t often see represented on screen. ‘That family is incredibly close-knit. It was captivating and heartbreaking at the same time.’ The producer said Murphy, who was born in Paris but spent much of his childhood in Waterford, was drawn to the project partly because of his own experience of existing between different identities. ‘He always found himself slightly outside Irish communities because he was Irish/French. And he connected that feeling to the Travellers, Irish people who are also often treated as outsiders.’ The filmmaker was introduced to the O’Reilly family through renowned photographer Joseph-Philippe Bevillard, known for his photo series on Irish Traveller families. Alexander Murphy was introduced to the O’Reilly family through renowned photographer Joseph-Philippe Bevillard, known for his photo series on Irish Traveller families Tin Castle follows the O’Reilly family – Pa’, Lisa and their 10 children – through their daily routines, tensions and moments of tenderness Rather than relying on traditional interviews or narration, the documentary instead adopts what Hughes describes as being a ‘full immersion’ approach. ‘Alexander decided that the camera was going to become the 11th child in the family. It sits at the dinner table, goes to school, walks up and down the road, plays outside. ‘The camera isn’t observing from a distance – it’s part of the family.’ And he said this childlike perspective became central to the documentary’s emotional power. ‘When you’re a child, you notice everything. You enjoy your brothers and sisters and the fun of family life, but you also begin to sense pressures on your parents, arguments, worries, the feeling that maybe your family is different to others. That’s what the film is trying to glimpse.’ Cannes aside, the documentary has already attracted international acclaim. One critic said that the documentary is ‘essential film-making’, praise Hughes described as ‘the highest compliment anyone could give’. The success of the film comes during another strong year for Irish talent at Cannes, where actors including Barry Keoghan and Michael Fassbender were among the major names attending premieres and screenings. Normal People star Daisy Edgar-Jones also made a surprise appearance on the red carpet.  Alicia Vikander, Michael Fassbender on the red carpet at Cannes Harry Melling, Riley Keough, Barry Keoghan, Jaliyah Richards, Talha Akdogan and Kantemir Balagov attend the "Butterfly Jam" screening during the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival Normal People star Daisy Edgar-Jones also made a surprise appearance on the red carpet. But while celebrity glamour dominates headlines, industry figures insist the real significance of Cannes lies in what happens behind the scenes. Louise Ryan of Screen Ireland said the festival’s vast film market remains crucial for Irish productions who are trying to secure international backing. ‘The market behind Cannes is the biggest independent film market in the world. That’s where we support producers, promoting films to financiers and sales agents, and helping projects get made,’ she told the MoS. More than 150 Irish producers attended Cannes this year as local production companies continue building international partnerships despite growing financial pressures on the industry. Ms Ryan added: ‘Financing a film is incredibly difficult. You need multiple international partners to bring projects together now. Irish producers have decades of experience co-producing because they’ve always had to.’ She said she believes Ireland’s current success internationally stems from a combination of sustained investment, strong creative talent and the country’s ancient storytelling tradition. ‘Ireland’s reputation for creativity is very strong internationally. You have experienced producers, major acting talent and directors who are really connecting with audiences globally. ‘There’s also been consistent support for the industry here over the last 30 years, and that reliability really matters.’ Irish storytelling resonates because of its emotional universality, according to Ms Ryan. ‘The stories connect with people. There’s empathy in them.’ Eamon Hughes said the reaction to Tin Castle at Cannes suggests documentaries are increasingly becoming part of that international conversation revolving around Irish cinema. ‘The world is crazy right now, and film has been struggling to react to it. But documentaries have always been on top of it all, reacting to it,’ he added. ‘People may still think that documentaries are niche. But these cinematic documentaries can absolutely belong in cinemas alongside fiction films. They can be just as immersive and emotional.’ And while Cannes is often associated with celebrity, Hughes said most of his own festival experience was spent in meetings, trying to secure future projects. But he admits one memorable brush with fame has stayed with him from a previous trip. ‘Somebody bumped into me on La Croisette [Cannes’ famous seaside boulevard], and I turned around ready to give out. Then I realised it was Conor McGregor and thought maybe a fight wasn’t the best idea!’ Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.