Once

How do you make a modern musical? Director John Carney, former bassist for The Frames, found the answer by approaching ONCE as an intimate indie film. Instead of a grand orchestra appearing out of thin air, he created a world where music flows naturally from everyday life.

From that concept grew the story of an Irish busker and a young Eastern European pianist who cross paths on the streets of Dublin. As they write and record songs together, a deep artistic and emotional bond forms amid their complicated personal lives. To capture that chemistry as genuinely as possible, Carney paired his former bandmate, The Frames frontman Glen Hansard, with then-18-year-old Czech musician Markéta Irglová.

This raw musical craft gives the film a rare, unpolished authenticity. With the recent passing of Glen Hansard, this screening takes on an exceptionally special weight: a beautiful tribute to his iconic talent and the timeless magic he brought to the screen alongside Irglová.