Time After Time, 2005

Time after Time
An Award Winning Film

Click here to order the DVD and soundtrack CD
DVD
"Cool clips, even if they often fly under the radar"
Mairéid Sullivan and Ben Kettlewell
"Time After Time" (Lyrebird Media)
"This colorful journey celebrates the cultures of Ireland, America and Australia in a flowing stream of music, poetry and visual imagery. Created by Irish singer Mairéid Sullivan and guitarist Ben Kettlewell, the film includes songs from Sullivan's CDs, poetry readings and speeches from great Native Americans, juxtaposed against pictures reaching from a close-up of a tiny Australian butterfly to a view of the expanding universe. Rich, embracing and informative as music and video, "Time After Time" is an exhilarating example of visual world music at its best."
Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times, Nov. 20, 2005
See full LA Times review here.

"A coming together - a sharing from the heart."
Bobby Bunningurr, Elder of the Maliburr tribe, Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia

"Time After Time is an extended hymn to nature and indigenous traditions, across three continents." Rachael Kohn, ABC-Radio National, Sydney, Australia
See transcript of Maireid's 2005 interview with Dr. Rachael Kohn, ABC-Radio National (Australia)

"...a wondrous production!"
Peter Spellman, Berklee School of Music, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

"A lyrical and jubilant interpretation of the human spirit through time and cultures
- a visual and aural feast to remind us of our common harmonious ancestry."
Brian Kavanagh A.S.E. Film Editor and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient,
Australian Screen Editors Guild, Melbourne, Australia

Time after Time Puts Imagery Back in the Cinema
"...Time after Time is, in fact, a film so rich in meaning and so fearless in its presentation that it cannot be linked with any standard genre of filmmaking. Nothing will prepare the viewer for the extraordinary imagery that keeps coming at you nonstop together with the beautifully integrated songs of Maireid Sullivan, one of the finest pure singers to come out of Ireland in the last fifty years, imagery so powerful that the traditional need for a narrative line is utterly absent. ...It's the kind of film you can see over and over and still find something new and meaningful that you missed before. I have been to Ireland many times in my life and I live in America, but this film shows me aspects of both those places and cultures, especially in the primitive times the film celebrates, of which I was not fully aware. It showed me these things by its consummate evocation of its themes through a chain of stunning images and music.

"Time After Time" speaks in carefully presented lyrical pictures and makes its salient points eloquently and poetically. You never have the sense of being beaten over the head with an idea of the filmmakers. The work of Mairéid Sullivan and Ben Kettlewell is nothing less than a triumph of the imagination."
T.S. Kerrigan, poet, lawyer/judge, arts reviewer, American Reporter Correspondent
Los Angeles, California, USA

"Beautiful and meditative, makes you look with awe at nature and history and people living in eternal time. Maireid has a beautiful voice and the songs and music are so well mixed with the transition of image upon image, like a visual harmony of the music. Congratulations!"
Chris Busa, Editor, Provincetown Arts Magazine, Provincetown, Massachusetts, USA

Spirit of Baraka: Time after Time, a film shot in Ireland, North America and Australia that celebrates the great heritage of ancient Celtic, American and Australian peoples. Time after Time is beautifully shot, its style comparable to other films found on this website. Yet Time after Time has its own theme and style.

Time after Time is a film that highlights the great beauty and diversity of the landscapes and peoples of Ireland, North America and Australia. The colourful landscapes of each of the countries is captured magnificently in Time after time. The richness of colours gives a wonderful feel to the film.

The soundtrack for Time after Time has the presence of the human voice. Poems and songs accompany the diverse music of the film. Although not scripted dialog or narration I found the presence of a voice unusual at first. However I soon found the initial poem adding to the mood.

After an introduction the film has a chapter for each of the countries shown in the film. The beautiful coastline and woods of Ireland make a beautiful subject. Watching the images in Time after Time gives me a great sensation as they remind me of my own Celtic homeland of Cornwall, England. Most images are of the Ireland most people are familiar with, yet many images show a side perhaps we don't know. The Celtic poems and songs add greatly to the mood. The underwater images suggest a great diversity to the filmmakers techniques. The image of Celtic symbols give a real sense of history.

Time after Time has a change of mood as the film continues onto North America. The beautiful winter landscapes are captured so well a chill fills the air. Time after Time is also warming with the shots of the sun drenched inner heartland of North America. There are shots of paintings from Native American tribes now gone. I felt a similar feeling to that experienced from many scenes in Baraka.

Time after Time ends with Australia. The vast and diverse land and its people are captured. This is one of the best insights into Aboriginal life I have seen, even having spent a year living in Australia. There are great scenes of Australia's bright and elegant wildlife.

Time after Time is a unique film. Its style is individual and yet familiar with many other films. The wildlife scenes as good as Microcosmos, and the capturing of people as good as Baraka. Time after Time's distinct soundtrack and content makes a great film.

Time after Time was created by Maireid Sullivan and Ben Kettlewell. I hope the pair make equally great films in the future.
Darren Lambert from SpiritofBaraka.com UK
http://www.spiritofbaraka.com/time-after-time

Back to top

Pathways Within: This edition's spotlight is an exciting new film titled "Time After Time." With a wonderful blend of stiring music and moving images, this film presents a new view of the world around us. It is the culmination of three years of passionate work by Mairéid Sullivan and Ben Kettlewell and is a self funded, independent production.

Thoughts while viewing...

This film powerfully sets the rhythm of time in a beautiful way. Beginning with the heartbeat of the galaxy and creation moving rapidly across space. It transports you across time bringing you to Ireland and the beautiful Cliffs of Mohar. The legends of the faeries are intertwined with fantastic scenes of Ireland scrolling by. There is a feeling of fond remembrance as moss covered stones and crosses stand silently marking time.

Wind filled sails on ships float you across to the Americas and you find yourself in the land of native legend. Old hymns such as "In the Garden" ring out as flowers greet you and transition to old churches then fade to dirt roads that lead you home.

Looking back at faces from the 1800's, both Native and white at the time of the opening of the west, brings deep emotion and causes one to ponder from the landscape and the images, just how much has changed and how far the human race has come knowing some things have been lost while others gained.

From the east coast moving west through the Bad Lands and peeking into the cliff dwellings leaving you wondering what stories they hold and how much love, fear, dreams and hope were born there.

Down the Rio Grand flowing into desert scapes while the words of Chief Seattle and Chief Joseph ringing out across time, reminding us that we belong to the Earth and we are all connected.

Again the drums kick in as the universal heartbeat moves us across continents to the Aborigine and Australia. Ceremonial painted faces blend with the stars. The symmetry and similarity is breathtaking. The nebulas and the galaxies reminding me of tissues and cells in the body. Yes, very much the heavenly body and one feels as though they were treated to an incredible trip across time. Nothing like standing in a time stream with the word linear removed.

It left me pondering what images might scroll by for the seventh generation and I had a feeling of deep respect for All That Is, no matter where in time we stumble across it.
Leslie Palacio, Editor of Pathways Within Magazine, USA

"Time after Time embraces the viewer with a vision of three rich cultures. Images, songs and poetry are woven together to create a mesmerizing and enchanting film that propels this art form to a new level.

Over 75 minutes we are taken into glorious landscapes and seductive images of Ireland, North America and Australia. Produced, filmed and edited by Maireid Sullivan and Ben Kettlewell, Time after Time is more than a film in that it can be presented in concert with a live performance of the soundtrack. Here are found the old songs and stories that touch us deeply, melded with original compositions.

There is magic here as sublime poetry and ancient song celebrate freedom and echo a world beyond ours. It shows how beauty heals suffering, the wisdom of the original inhabitants of these ancient lands and how, ultimately, although we are but stardust in a vast universe, through a shared understanding, we are one. The result is as moving and affecting as all great art. It's magnificent. I was really moved."
Kevin Childs, journalist / author, Melbourne, Australia

VIEWER RESPONSES

Over 77 minutes we are taken into glorious landscapes and seductive images of Ireland, North America and Australia. Produced, filmed and edited by Mairéid Sullivan and Ben Kettlewell, here are found the old songs and stories that touch us deeply, melded with original compositions.

"Time After Time is the perfect artistic creation to capture the world's minds, and particularly the minds of the world's leaders and the world's children. Time After Time is breathtakingly exquisite, ... For me it has been one of the most engaging and thought provoking resonating experiences of a life time! Time after Time takes you on intensely pleasurable, beautiful and uplifting historical grand journey, magically unfolding from the cosmos of deep space, across ever-changing exotic oceans, rivers and streams, and onto bountiful ancient lands, revealing the exquisite ways and wonders of three highly-successful human civilizations. You will be left stimulated and thoughtful and thankful to be alive, overjoyed and inspired by the beauty and wonder of our magnificent world heritage; and firmly convinced that humankind has the capacity, ingenuity and firm foundations to solve ongoing problems, and to continue to timelessly thrive and prosper."
Dr Allan Skertchly, Psychologist & Educator, Darwin, Australia

"Yes! It's hypnotic. I must have watched it nearly a dozen times. It's brilliant!"
Bill Adler, publisher, Washington DC, USA

"Absolutely gorgeous! Kudos to you both, the world can never reach saturation with something so positive and beautiful. The angels are crying out for more. It's the world's good luck that you can hear and answer their call."
Dermot Davis, playwright, Ireland / USA

"Congratulations on a beautiful and soulful film! I particularly liked the emotional textures you created, both visually and musically."
Chuck Wild, Award winning composer/musician, Los Angeles, California, USA

"Time After Time is a paean to our sacred artifacts and our Earth home, which makes one weep for the contrast it presents to how we are living and thinking in a world gone mad. The flowing imagery is gorgeous, while the music and poetry of the soundtrack are no less an evocation of the beautiful. Great soulful artists have produced a great soulful work!"
Suzanne Taylor, Los Angeles, California, USA

"Congratulations! It's breathtaking. It says everything there is to say about being fully human, fully alive! What a perfect marriage of sights and sounds. It gave me CHILLS. One moment you want to jump up and sing and dance, the next you want to weep, it's so moving. I'll treasure it always."
Kate Jacob, artist, Los Angeles, California, USA

"Visually, it's stunning, surpassed only by the quality of the music."
Bernadette Price, Celtic Café, Oregon, USA

"I watched your production and I truly love it. As an ex A & R person (and a good one) I can tell you -- you can sing! Very beautiful production and an outstanding work of art."
Phil Leahy, Melbourne, Australia

"The DVD exceeded my wildest expectations! I am so grateful!"
Julie Merrill, San Francisco, California, USA

"It's really beautiful....high quality with heart and soul...magnificent! ...congratulations. I am very envious of your wonderful relationship and creative partnership."
Jeff Hutner, Ojai, California, USA

"I was particularly enamored with the Native American segment of the America portion of the film. It is quite poignant and the depth of feeling is wonderful. My compliments. The rest of the film was equally enjoyable."
Charlie Balogh, musician, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

"I absolutely loved it, it is transformational; beautifully photographed and an exceptional capturing of (what I believe) is the true essence of life on this sphere. The music was so moving and palpable. It's such an important piece of work."
Loren Lindner, Ph.D. Psychologist, Los Angeles, USA

"Your DVD combines some of the world's most beautiful and mysterious imagery with the soundtrack of angels. I felt all the day's stress empty from my body as I was guided through three native cultures and their environment. This has to be the most stunning peace of art that I have experienced with my eyes, ears and heart - excellent work. You and Ben have created a masterpiece in a world of mediocrity. You don't need any awards from any film festival to measure your success because you have pleased me! Thank you for sharing your insights and talents with a stranger with the same surname and for exposing me to my audio and visual heritage! I have a feeling Ben and Your name will be up in lights!"
Neal A. Sullivan, architect, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA

"Just off the phone, from North Africa from an estatic Time after Time watcher. They loved it and wouldn't shut up about it!!! I thought our mobile phone was gonna go dead, they kept raving that much. They know us and had to ring to tell us how they loved it having received it only this morning (Sunday) and already watched it fully twice. They say they want more for friends."
The Bushducks.com, County Louth, Ireland

"I am not going to attempt to convey my emotions on viewing the DVD...there were just too many. Loved it, loved it, loved it ..."
Catherine Kay, Queen Medb Encampment, Los Angeles, USA

"... full of graceful spirit and resonant soul. All things consumer culture neglects at its peril."
Cheryl Sourkes, Toronto, Canada

"It is truly a marvelous creation, a real symphony of sound and sight to bathe the soul, and I can envision playing it many times for shear enjoyment."
John Ashbaugh, Albuquerque, New Mexico

"Wonderful! It brings a sense of quietness, of unison with the "cosmos". The music blends in beautifully... I have difficulties to put my feelings in words. Great idea to put three apparently distinct cultures into perspective and showing how akin they are... The moment when illustrations from the book of Kells are blending with aboriginal paintings particularly touched me, as it is a core belief for me that humans are so similar except for the trivial details in which the devil lies..."
Laurent Leemans, musician, Belgium

"Having studied and taught cultural, musical traditions on a university level, I am absolutely in awe of Time After Time. I watched twice last night in sheer delight. What fun you must have had, shooting the video. The scenes in Ireland are utter eye candy and obviously I felt right at home in the Appalachia and western footage. The world, regardless of continent and socioeconomic strata, is indeed a small place as I remembered all too well jumping out of trees into the river on the dairy farm in the Lowcountry of SC where I grew up, laughing the same way the Aboriginal children did."
Barbara Long, music journalist, lecturer, South Carolina, USA

Letter dated February 8, 2009
Dear Maireid Sullivan,
Yours is a beautiful Celtic Garden where flowers of thought and hope and cheerfulness grow in all forms and centuries. They are the higher qualities of souls which have been
eclipsed in a savage universe which pretends to be more real than life. Too often we let its madmen and thieves dominate us; we aid in the defeat of Man with our own crimes against spiritual truths in free beings.
But a woman like you, who never forgets how beautiful she is and how much we need her presence in the material world--how you have never left your living world behind, but always bring it back in some form--you invite us to be beautiful with you. And we want to be beautiful with you. We want our own lives in higher states of action and appreciation. We connect with your beauty, and we love you. Please keep working, even as dark ages continue to churn dark clouds over our dreams of freedom.
Russell Salamon, Yugoslavian-American poet, based in North Hollywood

Click here to order the DVD and soundtrack CD