Candlebaths was created in 2021. The score was composed by Dylan Lynch, featuring Ryan Hargadon.
Candlebaths is a post-colonial project. During the time of its production, I was returning to Irish roots by taking the Irish version (Aodh Ó Riagáin) of the anglicised form of my name (Hugh O'Regan) - one I share with my father, who passed away some years ago. I was undergoing a form of death and rebirth. The name in the credits reveal I was on the cusp of that decision to rename.
The meaning of Aodh is fire, and the creation of this film aligns with the pre-christian fire festival of Samhain - Halloween derives from this - where the boundary between the material world and otherworld could more easily be crossed. The fires of Samhain mimick the sun, and ward off the darkness.
