A documentary about an elderly’s man lifelong ambition to fly a plane is set to hit the big screens in Irish cinemas later this month.
The Man Who Wanted To Fly has been shot by filmmaker Frank Shouldice and cinematographer Dave Perry over the course of five and a half years, but the completed product is now ready to be seen by the general public.
The film, which focuses on Bobby Coote’s goal to take to the skies and his brother’s reservations that flying is best left to birds, will be showcased at cinemas from April 29th.
Viewers can expect to learn about the 80-something-year-old brothers’ modest life in rural Cavan and their relationship with each other, having lived next door to one another for a long time.
While Bobby is known for wanting to put his goal into action in his golden years, Ernie is content with hobbies such as gardening and his CB radio collection. Having been around since 1945, CB radios sales went through the roof in the 1970s, particularly among tradesmen who used them as a means to communicate with colleagues. This is why they remain so popular among the older generations.
A review in the Irish Times, which gave the film four out of five stars, said: “This is not just a story of the brothers; it’s a story of the community around them.”
Tara Brady, reviewing the documentary for the news provider, went on to say: “Bobby is helped towards his goal by friends and neighbours, including Sean McBride, a farmer who sets aside land for a runway and helps Bobby build a hangar for the Microlight craft he buys with his savings.”
Ms Brady added that the cinematography, together with the characters and Shouldice’s direction has created “a marvellous feel-good movie”.
