Born That Way is just the sort of doc that might pick up a cult following on domestic releaseBorn That Way      Director : Éamon Little Cert : None Starring : Patrick Lydon, Gladys Lydon Running Time : 1 hr 35 minsHere is a desperately moving and beautifully made documentary about a gentle hero who deserves greater recognition. Patrick Lydon, born in Massachusetts to an Irish family, returned to the old sod during the early 1970s and ended up, with his equally inspirational wife, Gladys, establishing the innovative Camphill Community in Ballytobin, Co Kilkenny. Allowing people with special needs notable dignity, the project eventually inspired 16 further such communities in Ireland. As the director was beginning to plot the project in 2021, Lydon was diagnosed with motor neuron disease; as a result, Born That Way ended up as both celebration and valediction. Born That Way, winner of the Dublin Film Critics Circle prize for best Irish documentary at Dublin International Film Festival, is just the sort of doc that might pick up a cult following on domestic release.

Source: The Irish Times November 12, 2025 14:11 UTC