Film Review: Lyra

By Jackie Spafford

Lyra McKee may not be a household name in North America, but she was that and much more in Northern Ireland. This documentary, part of the Social Justice Film sidebar, is a loving portrait of a beautiful and radical soul, who gave voice to the frustrations of continuing violence in her homeland.

Directed by her friend Alison Millar, the film begins with Lyra having a fit of giggles prior to a taping session, which introduces us to her bright and positive spirit. (It should be noted that Lyra never seemed to age, and it’s hard to tell whether she’s 14 or 29 at any point in the film – she was eternally youthful.)  Through home movies, formal interviews, recordings, and cell phone video, we get know her via her own voice as well as those of family members and colleagues.

She was always drawn to writing, and developed a freelance career as an investigative journalist through tenacity and the encouragement of her family, especially her grandmother. She herself notes that this is fairly rare, as poor and working-class children growing up in Northern Ireland suffer from a “poverty of vision.” (One example she gives is a child expressing the wish to become a lawyer, and being told by a middle-class student that they’ll just be a “glue sniffer.”)

One of the issues she wrote about the rising suicide rate of young people in Northern Ireland. She called her generation the Ceasefire Babies, referring to the 1998 Good Friday ceasefire agreement. They felt cheated by the hollow promises from the government, the ongoing violence, and the lack of a future.

Her impact was far-reaching. She became a voice for the LGBTQ community, and wrote many encouraging pieces directed at gay youth. She was invited to deliver a Ted talk among many other high-profile engagements. She was named in Forbes’ magazine ‘30 under 30’ as an activist to watch. There are murals of her face and accompanying quotes around Belfast and Derry. She received not one but two book contracts with Faber. The first was to be on what she called the Lost Boys – boys who were abducted and killed during The Troubles, and whose deaths were never properly investigated.

Lyra was killed by a stray bullet fired by a New IRA member during a riot in Derry. She was 29 years old. Her funeral was attended by hundreds of people, including politicians from both Northern Ireland and England (including then-PM Theresa May). She has become a symbol of the urgent need for change in Northern Ireland.

You can read more about her in this Guardian obituary.

The 38th Santa Barbara International Film Festival runs through February 18. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes, will be held throughout the city, including at the historic Arlington Theatre. Passes and tickets are on sale now at sbiff.org.