HERSELF 15

OUT 10 SEPTEMBER CINEMAS

The title refers to struggling single mother and cleaner Sandra (Clare Dunne), who’s forced to live with her two daughters in a cramped hotel room after fleeing from her abusive husband. Now on her own, how can she possibly realise her dream of building her own home? Scripted by Dunne herself and directed by Phyllida Lloyd (Mamma Mia!), this involving Irish drama juggles narrative tropes with clear-eyed social realism. While highlighting a system stacked against women seeking to escape domestic abuse, Herself also offers an optimistic vision of female empowerment and solidarity. Tom Dawson