The Films of Lenny Abrahamson : A Filmmaking of Philosophy

The Films of Lenny Abrahamson: A Filmmaking of Philosophys of provides a comprehensive study of the films of contemporary, highly critically-appraised Irish director Lenny Abrahamson. As well as considering the aesthetics, cultural reflections and philosophical concerns in the better known work of this dynamic and profoundly original Irish filmmaker, it also looks at his short film – 3 Joes – and his little-seen student film Mendel.

As the first sustained study of Abrahamson's engaging and cinematically rich work, Barry Monahan's book sheds light on the aesthetic wealth of the artist and connects his stylistic innovations to the context of his projects' socio-cultural background, to his own influences in modern cinema – going beyond Irish film, to reflect upon the works of auteurs such as Bergman, Tarkovsky, Kubrick, and Kaurismäki among others – and to a broader reflection on what his canon has to contribute to the philosophy of cinema, art, and questions about human existence in the 21st century.

“Barry Monahan's book is an insightful treatment of Lenny Abrahamson's cinematic oeuvre, a thorough analysis of Abrahamson's seven films that moves beyond the filmmaker's national context to explore the films' transnational and intertextual inspiration and philosophical concerns. I strongly recommend this perceptive study to anyone interested in the work of this exciting Irish director.” —Raita Merivirta, Researcher, University of Turku, Finland

“Barry Monahan shows us why Lenny Abrahamson is one of Ireland's most important filmmakers. In shrewd, engaging readings of Abrahamson's oeuvre, Monahan explores the power of cinema to lay bare what it means to be human. An ambitious study that does not disappoint.” —Kathleen Vejvoda, Professor of English, Bridgewater State University, USA