If you don’t know the name Edna O’Brien, Blue Road makes a strong case for why you should. Sinead O’Shea’s documentary, which screened at the 51st Seattle International Film Festival, dives into the life of the trailblazing Irish writer whose bold, lyrical, and often controversial work kicked open doors long before it was fashionable to do so.

The doc traces O’Brien’s life from her strict rural upbringing to her rise as a literary powerhouse and unapologetic cultural force. Along the way, it touches on a handful of the 34 novels and stories she wrote (starting with “Country Girl”)—many of which sparked outrage in 1960s Ireland for daring to talk about sex, women’s inner lives, and freedom in a time and place that didn’t want to hear it.

Church leaders denounced her. Her books were banned. Even her once loving husband, writer Ernest Gébler, became envious of her literary rise and was quick to tear her down. But America? American writers—from John Updike to Henry Miller—got it, as the doc briefly touches on this transatlantic split.

Through archival interviews, diary entries, and the reflections of her two sons in current interviews, the documentary paints a layered portrait of her personal life: her troubled marriage, her escape from a repressive environment, and her eventual emergence as a literary bon vivant.

From Cradle to Champagne

We get a peek into O’Brien’s transformation into a kind of literary It Girl. There are scenes of glamorous London parties, plenty of name drops (Marlon Brando, Judy Garland, Paul McCartney, Jane Fonda, Robert Mitchum—just to name a few), and champagne flowing like water. These moments keep things buoyant, even as the film doesn’t shy away from her personal struggles: a tough marriage, complicated motherhood, and moments of creative silence.

One of the real strengths of Blue Road is how present Edna feels throughout. The film includes some of her last interviews before her passing in July 2024, and she’s as sharp, fearless, and dramatic as ever. Those segments give the doc emotional weight—it’s not just a retrospective, it’s a parting message.

If there’s a flaw, it’s that “Blue Road – The Edna O’Brien Story” lingers a little too long in its final stretch, losing a bit of its early energy. But overall, it’s a smart, moving portrait of a woman who never stopped writing, questioning, or pushing boundaries.

Blue Road is a love letter to literature, rebellion, and the kind of woman who never waited for permission. Put this one on your radar – Blue Road has one more screening at SIFF on Tuesday, May20.