BEACON OF LIGHT

In 2023, Marie Coyne, a local historian and genealogist from a remote island off Ireland’s west coast, achieved something unprecedented: after a ten-year struggle, she brought home the stolen skulls of her ancestors — the first repatriation of its kind in Ireland, drawing international attention. Through her genealogical work, she also helped a woman from the US uncover her family history, leading to the discovery that her baby sister’s remains lie in a mass grave at a mother-and-baby home in Tuam.

But this is only part of Marie’s story. For over thirty years, she has been collecting more than 3,000 photographs, documents, and objects to preserve the cultural memory of her island. Over a decade ago, a storm destroyed her small museum. Undeterred, she began laying the foundations for a new one.

Now, with planning permission about to expire, no funding secured, and while caring for her mother as she slips into Alzheimer’s, Marie finds herself in a race against time. Alongside her is her brother Pat, whose humour and warmth bring balance to the weight she carries.

Beacon of Light is a portrait of a woman who does not act for herself alone — but out of a deep sense of responsibility for her family, her community, and those who came before her. In doing so, the film reveals how responsibility can become a way of holding people and stories together.

Best Pitch, London Director Awards, 2025