One of the truly amazing stories of the 2006 awards season belonged to the little indie film that could, “Once.” Directed by John Carney and starring The Frames member Glen Hansard and his The Swell Season collaborator Markéta Irglová, the musical story centered on an Irish busker (Hansard) who strikes up a relationship with a Czech immigrant (Irglová). “Once” became an arthouse sensation, taking in over $20 million worldwide, on a microscopic budget of $150,000. And the Academy sat up and took notice as well, with the film winning a statue for Best Original Song for “Falling Slowly,” leading to one of the most touching Oscar speeches in recent memory. Well, the story didn’t end there for either Hansard or Irglová.
Riding high on the success of “Once,” the two actors/musicians took their The Swell Season act on the road, and Nick August-Perna, Chris Dapkins and Carlo Mirabella-Davis were there to capture it. The resulting documentary — named after the group — is an intimate look at the pair as they struggle to grasp their newfound fame as well a new, May-December romance. While this trailer for the movie teeters on being black-and-white emo porn, a genuine sincerity cuts through it, making their story not only real, but even relatable.
“The Swell Season” begins rolling out on October 7th in Los Angeles and will hit New York on October 21st. More dates to come we’re sure. Check it out below. [IndieWire]