With Getting the Message, Neasa Ní Chianáin steps inside the heart of political power at a moment when public trust in institutions is eroding and the climate emergency is accelerating. Over 18 months, Ní Chianáin gained unprecedented “fly-on-the-wall” access to Ireland’s Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment, Eamon Ryan, capturing both the mechanisms of democracy and the private moments that reveal the human cost of political life. The project is one of the Rough Cut presentations of this year’s IDFA Forum, and will be presented November 16.
Ní Chianáin is one of Ireland’s foremost documentary directors, with nine docs (including six features) to her credit. Her work has premiered at IDFA, Locarno, Thessaloniki and Sundance, with notable titles that include Fairytale of Kathmandu (IDFA 2007), In Loco Parentis / School Life (IDFA 2016, Sundance 2017), Young Plato (screened at more than 70 festivals), and The Alexander Complex (Thessaloniki 2024).
The director explains that the project began when she was offered the opportunity to film at the coalface of Irish governance for an extended period. For an observational filmmaker, she said, this was “a chance not to be missed.” She was drawn not only to the institutional insight but to the possibility of telling a climate story “from a fresh perspective.” Her ambition was to explore the human challenges facing Ryan and his Green Party colleagues as they attempted to “build bridges in keeping both the public and their coalition partners on board, in order to heal our very sick planet, and fix the world for our children.”
A central strand of the film follows Ryan with his autistic son, Tommy — access that the minister personally approved. This dual focus gave the director an entry point into both the political and personal pressures shaping one of Europe’s most prominent environmental politicians. What particularly intrigued Ní Chianáin was the contrast between Ryan’s respected reputation abroad and his extremely polarising public image of her at home. She cites the way some critics brand him “the most hated man in Ireland,” despite his determination to press ahead with climate policies. She describes him as rising “above all the public criticism, the snide comments and tired jokes,” as he relentlessly pushes the country toward a lower-carbon future.
This tension unfolds against a backdrop of global threats to democracy. Ní Chianáin points to the rise of populism, the destabilisation of institutions, and a growing distrust of mainstream media. Many now turn to social platforms for information, often becoming increasingly polarised — a trend she finds “tragic,” as it shifts attention away from the existential urgency of climate change. Her film therefore operates in this “communications space,” meeting its characters on a human level, observing their frustrations, motivations, and search for connection.
Despite these pressures, she insists the story will ultimately offer hope and a meaningful path “toward a greener future for all.”
For audiences, the project promises a rare, intimate look at both the human and political dimensions of the climate crisis. The director emphasises that Getting the Message is not a disaster-driven climate documentary. Instead, it interweaves exclusive access to government decision-making with the domestic world of a father and son, and the work of Ryan’s close-knit team, including his media advisor Edel Hackett.
Ní Chianáin hopes viewers will gain a deeper understanding of the moral dilemmas, pressures, and compromises behind climate policymaking. She wants them to leave with “a renewed respect for the people tirelessly working to combat climate change,” and with a revived sense of connection — to nature and to one another. Above all, she hopes people will recognise that meaningful action is still possible and that “where there is action, there is always a pathway toward a sustainable future.”
Currently, the production is seeking a final €50,000–€100,000 to complete post-production. This final boost would significantly elevate the film’s production values; in return, investors would receive an executive producer credit and the potential for ROI. The pic is nearing completion and is expected to be finished and released in early 2026. Editing has been entrusted to Belgium’s Philippe Ravoet, who has more than 90 film and TV credits and is known for Young Plato, Paris Has Fallen and J’aime la vie.
Over the course the 18 months, Ní Chianáin constructs a visually rich verité film that shifts fluidly between micro and macro worlds. Intimate scenes in Tommy’s nature-centred routines contrast with the high-pressure environment of political negotiations and international meetings. Nature functions as a recurring character — from cloud formations outside government windows to flooded rivers and violent winds — a constant reminder of what is at stake.
The sound design blends composed soundscapes with fragments of news reports on climate disasters, mass migration, ruined crops, and local voices reflecting on changing weather patterns. These are intercut with voices of dissent, including climate deniers, hostile politicians, and figures such as Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary publicly blaming the Greens for aviation restrictions.
Mindful of the “political bubble,” Ní Chianáin incorporates social-media content and news archives to position the story within wider public discourse and global upheaval.
The project is produced by David Rane for Soilsiú Films (Ireland) and co-produced by Hanne Phlypo and Antoine Vermeesch for Clin d’Oeil Films (Belgium) and Ilja Roomans for Docmakers (The Netherlands), with backing from Screen Ireland, the Netherlands Film Fund, Shelter Prod, Eurimages, the Irish Section 481 Tax Credit, VRT and VPRO.
