Being from the Irish countryside I have been subjected to the unease of stopping at a temporary traffic light in the dead of night. All alone in the dark, bathed in red, making sure the doors are locked and contemplating what could happen. Despite this discomfort, I was also paralysed by the social obligation not to break the rules even if no one was watching. I must wait until the all-knowing traffic light tells me it’s safe, but why should I trust the traffic light over my own senses? In today’s world, we blindly trust technology, which is ironic because we use technology to lie. We lie about who we are, how we look, and how we feel every single day. So what is to say that autonomous technology can’t lie to us? It can be corrupted and manipulated not for our benefit but for our demise, and like moths to the flame, we wouldn’t know until it’s too late. Ireland is an ancient country with traditions rooted in millennia of practice. Our folklore has survived colonisation, starvation, and emigration, but it seems it cannot outlast modernisation. Since the light of the modern world has grown on Irish shores, its old mythology is disappearing with the darkness, as well as its peoples knowledge and respect for the unknown and tales of Samhain (Halloween), the Dullahan, the Banshee, and many more. In this film I wanted to explore a story where Ancient Ireland lashes out in anger, manipulating our newfound reliance on technology to take its revenge for being forgotten. Our main character Fiona represents a new generation that has forgotten the old ways and is only interested in virtual connections of likes, comments, and views. Fiona soon learns that blindly trusting technology and ignoring the world around her can be very dangerous. This mirrors broader modern societal questions, while people all over the world benefit from the globe getting smaller through digital connectivity, what is being left behind in the wake of this progress? Should we stop, look up, and connect with the world/people around us instead of always looking further afield?

Shane is an Irish writer/director who has worked in various roles in production, marketing, and advertising for the last decade. The award-winning horror short "Shadowban" is Shane's film directorial debut. This film is an entirely original story that was selected in over 37 film festivals worldwide, including the Oscar, BAFTA, and BIFA-recognised Light In Motion competition at the Foyle Film Festival. As a director, Shane won a Silver Screen at the prestigious YDA (Young Director Award) in 2023.