‘THE Quiet Girl’ is the first Irish film to be nominated in the Oscar Awards’ best international feature category. The lines in the film are mostly in Irish, with some dialogue delivered in English, that makes you realize the Irish are conversant in two languages.

The story is set in 1981 in rural island and the title character is Cait (Catherine Clinch), 9 years old. She is one of many children and her mother is pregnant again even if they are very poor and can hardly make ends meet. Their mom cannot even make their “baon” or lunch when they go to school.

At home, Cait prefers to be by herself. She often hides in plain sight to be alone. We realize it’s her own kind of self defense mechanism, by withdrawing from those around her. At home, she hides under the bed so her mom won’t find her.

Even in school, Cait is considered a misfit and her classmates make fun of her. There is an embarrassing incident when a cup of milk gets spilled on her dress.

When summer comes, her parents send her to spend it with a distant cousin, Eibhlin Kinsella (Carrie Crowley), and her husband Sean (Andrew Bennett). Her aunt welcomes her warmly and since she arrived to their home without any luggage, her aunt gives her boy clothes first before buying her girl’s dresses for her.

Sean is at first cold to Cait and even reprimands her when she wanders off in their farm. But he eventually becomes warm to her, telling her to get the letters from their mailbox which is at the other end of their driveway. They become closer to each other and she helps her do chores around the farm.

A nosey neighbor reveals to her that her aunt and uncle actually lost their own son in a drowning incident some years ago. The room where she now sleeps belongs to the boy, also the clothes she initially wore.

The film ends with summer ending and Cait being returned to her parents as the new school year is about to start. As she bids goodbye to her nurturing aunt and uncle, memories of the sweet moments she had with them, while they are showing her love and affection, flash in her mind and she runs after them.

“The Quiet Girl” is a very simple, small film about a girl who just wants to feel wanted. Her parents are busy with so many children, but they keep on making more, when they already have a very meager income. It’s based on a 2009 short novel by Claire Keegan, “Foster”, and directed by Colm Bairead, who also wrote the screenplay.

Viewers who prefer loud noisy, fast-paced films will be alienated by the quietness of “The Quiet Girl”. There are just not any big emotional confrontation scenes here.

For instance, after scolding Cait for wandering, Sean apologizes to her but not in words. Instead, he silently puts a cookie in front of her on the table, then hurries out of the kitchen without saying a word.

By the usual standards of mainstream cinema, this is a film where nothing much really happens. Yet in her brief stay with her foster parents, Cait finds a new way of life, of loving and being loved that is foreign to her since her parents are not as caring. And for her adoptive parents, her stay with them also provides them with a kind of healing after losing their only son.

The narrative unfolds gently, blossoming like Cait herself who slowly opens up and blooms under her caring foster parents. The film is the type that thrives on hushed reactions and nuances, like faint smiles and quiet glances.

This is said to be Catherine Clinch’s first acting job and she’s quite effective as she really fills the bill. She looks so pretty on screen you cannot help but feel compassion towards her as the neglected child of her very busy parents. Ultimately, we think the film is about the transformative power of knowing that you are loved, valued and appreciated.