Sunset Song

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Terence Davies directs. Michael McDonough behind the camera. Gast Waltzing scores. David Charap cuts. Produced in Luxembourg, United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

• 1Released 11 years ago.
• 2International production across 2 countries: Luxembourg, United Kingdom.
• 3Directed by Terence Davies, shot by Michael McDonough. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
• 4Original score by Gast Waltzing. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
• 5Editor David Charap shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
• 6Agyness Deyn and Peter Mullan and Kevin Guthrie carry the top of the cast.
• 7IMDB entry: tt2262161 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography

Michael McDonough

Original score

Gast Waltzing

Editing

David Charap

Production design

Andy Harris

Makeup / hair

Michele Perry

VFX supervisor

Claude Kongs

Sound

Loïc Collignon

Runtime

135 min · 2h 15m

Aspect ratio (typical)

1.37:1 (Academy)

Status

Released

Original language

EN

Certification (US)

PG-13

IMDB

Sunset Song (2015) ↗

Rotten Tomatoes

81% 🍅 Fresh

Metacritic

73/100

IMDB rating

6.4/10 · 4,232 votes

MPAA

R

US box office

$159,714

Also by

Terence Davies

• 
  The Long Day Closes

  1992 · ★ 7.2
• 
  Of Time and the City

  2008 · ★ 7.1
• 
  Distant Voices, Still Lives

  1988 · ★ 6.9
• 
  The Terence Davies Trilogy

  1983 · ★ 6.5
• 
  The House of Mirth

  2000 · ★ 6.2
• 
  Passing Time

  2023 · ★ 6.2

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

• 

  ▶
  Mark Kermode reviews Sunset Song (2015) | BFI Player

  Featurette · Official
• 

  ▶
  Clip - Cutting Up Paupers

  Clip · Official
• 

  ▶
  Clip - Locked

  Clip · Official
• 

  ▶
  Clip - School

  Clip · Official
• 

  ▶
  Clip - Home Song

  Clip · Official
• 

  ▶
  Official UK Trailer

  Trailer · Official

Community reviews

What people are saying

• Reno2016-06-24
  ★ 8/10

  A journey from the girlhood to womanhood. An amazing drama about the life, especially it reveals what it would be like being a woman farmer living in the early decade of the twentieth century. The film was adapted from the book of the same name that's dealt with the rural Scottland subject. Even though I'm not familiar with the original material I would say it was one of the best novel-to-screen translation I have seen. The long runtime has never been the issue, but slowly, solidly told tale. My only disappointment is that it was not in the Scottish language since it was about a Scottish family. There were many Scottish dialects that I did not get at first, so I had to google them to know the meaning. But I liked it which reveals the true nature of the local culture. I meant it essential to narrate a tale in the native flavour to enhance the richness in its contents. The story sets in the 1910s that centres on a farm girl named Chris. An epic life journey from the girlhood to womanhood. Under her atrocious father, the film tells how the whole family was living in the fear. After a death in the house, the event slowly begins to tear the family apart, leaving Chris behind to take the ultimate decisions about her future and the family land. Anybody would definitely feel bored in the initiation part, because you won't understand the story right away. If you manage to survive in the first half, then you can easily get through in the remaining by liking it a lot. It was nothing like we know the story or we don't, it was simply about the twist and turns of somebody's life just like ours, except it was from a different timeline. Precisely to say the phases of life is what this film is all about. Like shifting the gear in the car, according to the condition of the road and the destination. The joy and sorrow are the part of the life which is sometimes depends on the decision we and around us make. "You will need to face men for yourself. When the time comes, there's no one can stand and help." It was totally an unexpected film, kind of reminded me 'Gone with the Wind' and 'Love Comes Softly'. Focused mainly on a woman, in the men dominated world. It was not just a rural theme, but also sometimes takes us beyond to other topics. Like during the first world war and under the English dominated UK, how the Scots lost the rights and their culture disappeared. No doubt why Scots are asking for their own nation. The romance was another turning point in the story, like raising strong from the fall. After seeing lots of similar changes, I was unable to predict what conclusion may come. But it was strong and intentional with some wonderful dialogues. I loved the beautiful landscapes from the different seasons. It was actually shot in the New Zealand, Scottland and Luxembarough. There's no expansion in the locations, mainly it sets in and around a farmhouse and very occasionally other than these parts. The one in the Chris' shoe was amazing. Like usual, Peter Mullan was fantastic and similarly others as well in their short stay. As the story progress, consequently the film characters reshuffled. Even for us, the main character Chris is like crossing through a juncture from the coming-of-age to self-discovery. Displaying the transformation of Chris from a certain period of time was the film's great achievement. Like how a landscape change from the dawn to dust, this woman's life sees the same fate. That's what the title implies. I don't know this British director, but this film opened a new door to me further to check it out his other works. I don't know either that everybody would like it, but it is really one of the wonderful drama of the 2015 and I recommend it to all, especially if there's no problem for you for a long story told in the slow pace. I hope they make films out of the remaining two books as well. 8/10

  Read full review ↓

Production companies

Who made it

• 

  Iris Productions

  LU

• HU

  Hurricane Films

  GB

• SE

  SellOutPictures

Key crew

• Executive ProducerBob Last
• CastingRos Hubbard
• Sound RecordistMarc Thill
• Line ProducerVictoria Dabbs
• Co-Executive ProducerAlice de Sousa
• Costume DesignerUli Simon
• Production DesignAndy Harris
• EditorDavid Charap
• ProducerRoy Boulter
• CastingJohn Hubbard
• Visual Effects ProducerRaoul Nadalet
• EditorRuy Diaz
• CastingVéronique Fauconnet
• GafferHelder Loureiro
• Makeup ArtistMichele Perry
• Camera OperatorSam Renton
• Visual Effects SupervisorClaude Kongs
• Art DirectionKen Turner
• Assistant Costume DesignerNatasha Francotte
• Dialogue EditorNick Lowe
• Digital IntermediateTom Balkwill
• Art DirectionDiana van de Vossenberg
• Special Effects CoordinatorKen Fitzke
• Supervising Art DirectorMags Horspool

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

• shepherd
• farmer
• scottish

Release history · US

When it landed

• Theatrical2016-05-13PG-13

Also known as

International titles

• A Canção do Pôr do SolBR
• Sunset SongFR
• Песен по залез слънцеBG
• Ένα τραγούδι για το ηλιοβασίλεμαGR
• NaplementeHU
• Песнь закатаRU
• Pieśń ZmierzchuPL