The wish to return to a place of past safety after a traumatic event is understandable. It helps if that place is remote and possibly beyond the reach of any authorities which may want to investigate the event, or even hold someone accountable. In the case of Iona, it’s a return from mainland Scotland to the Inner Hebridean island of the same name where she grew up. It’s not instantly clear what caused her to come back but when she does, it’s apparent that memories are long and the welcome is not as warm it might be. She has a son whom no-one has previously met. The past has to be faced and sanctuary comes at a price.
Iona is the second full-length feature from Scott Graham and, like its predecessor, the also Scotland-set and filmed Shell, deals with isolation, an isolated community and isolation within that community. Iona (a notably nuanced Ruth Negga) carries the film. The arrival of her and her son Bull (Ben Gallagher) provide the peg on which to hang the film’s investigation of a society where religion is fundamental to day-to-day attitudes. Of course, there is hypocrisy and a constant undercurrent of tension. Both are fostered by Iona's loss of faith. She doesn’t commit incest by having sex with Daniel (Douglas Henshall, playing to brooding, taciturn type), but it might as well be that: intimations of incest also figured in Shell. When Bull begins seeking forgiveness and redemption, he learns they are not easily found. At one point, it seems a miracle is about to transpire. Graham has said Witness was an influence on Iona.
The titular island is a place of pilgrimage and sanctuary, and the connection between this and film’s scenario is clear. Less clear is how the characters relate to each other, the nature of their shared histories and what the pivotal traumatic event was. These details are revealed piecemeal, making the film initially confusing and (overall) breaking the flow. A more linear approach may have helped bring a greater impact. The concluding moments, which border on the preposterous, also reduce impact. Although masterful in establishing its mood and in drawing a striking performance from Negga, Iona is less sure-footed than Shell.
The home cinema release has two bonuses: the trailer and an information film made by the charity The Forgiveness Project.
