HERSELF, from Phyllida Lloyd, tells the touching tale of Sandra (Clare Dunne) and her journey towards the start of a better life.

Sandra is a mother of two living in Dublin with her violent ex-husband still on the scene. Upon trying to leave him, she realises that the local council are not going to assist in finding a new home for her family, so she decides to build one of her own.

The film contains a variety of intersecting messages and metaphors which enable the story to shine. From specific camera shots behind her placing us in the position of stalking or watching Sandra, to the iconography of the birthmark on her eye resembling a bruise, it is clear that care has been laced into every frame.

We see Sandra tested, doubted and pushed down but we never see her give up. In moments of hardship, we are drawn into scenes with her through the use of psychoacoustics accompanying relevant flashbacks. These shared bubbles of emotion not only help us to resonate with what she is feeling, encouraging empathy, but they also serve to keep our undivided attention directed towards the screen.

The background music has been intelligently chosen to emphasise the visual imagery. For instance, lyrics such as ‘it’s easy to pretend that life is a rosy bouquet’ accentuate Sandra’s character in the way that she appears externally unaffected by her family life to those who observe her. And similarly, others such as ‘you ain’t gonna see me no more’ illustrate her strength and desire to go forward in a different direction.

This film is a story of darkness and light; the adventure of a lady seemingly enveloped in bad luck finding her feet and setting fire to all that used to hold her back. We root for Sandra and the community that she has developed, and we become a part of it too.