HERSELF (15)
Preview
In present-day Dublin, Sandra (Clare Dunne) is trapped in an abusive marriage to her husband Gary (Ian Lloyd Anderson).
She secretly amasses cash to flee with her two daughters, Emma (Ruby Rose O’Hara) and Molly (Molly McCann), but Gary discovers the plan and stamps on Sandra’s hand in rage.
Prompted by her mother’s code word, Emma sounds the alarm
while youngest child Molly witnesses the brutality from a hiding spot in her playhouse.
With police and lawyers involved, Sandra moves into temporary accommodation with the girls and makes ends meet as a cleaner in a city-centre bar and at the home of doctor Peggy O’Toole (Harriet Walter).
During one visit to Peggy, Sandra watches an instructional video about how to build a home for £35,000.
The medic responds with unimaginable kindness – “I want to give you the land and lend you the money to build your house” – and Sandra persuades building contractor Aido (Conleth Hill) to oversee the project.