Scripted and directed by Robert Wynne-Simmons, the writer of The Blood on Satan's Claw, The Outcasts is an eerie folklorish tale is set in 19th-century Ireland amid an isolated rural community where poverty and superstition are rife. Billed on release in 1982 as the first Irish feature film in half a century, but hardly seen in the past 40 years, this uniquely dreamlike directorial feature debut is presented in an acclaimed new 2K restoration by the Irish Film Institute and marks the first time it has been available on Blu-ray. Extras include a new interview with the director and a new audio commentary by folklore historian and scholar Dr Diane A Rodgers.

In The Outcasts, Maura (Mary Ryan), an introverted farm girl suspected of witchcraft, discovers a mystical world of the imagination through 'a wild, ungodly man' – the mysterious wanderer Scarf Michael (Mick Lally). The cast includes the esteemed Irish stage and screen actor Cyril Cusack.

The Outcasts (1982) will be released on Blu-ray on 23 September 2024 by the BFI as part of its Flipside strand at the RRP of £19.99.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Newly recorded audio commentary by folklore historian and scholar Dr Diane A Rodgers
• Writing Folk Tales (2024, 9 mins): in this newly filmed interview, Robert Wynne-Simmons revisits his debut feature
• The Fugitive (1964, 31 mins): Robert Wynne-Simmons' first work with an outsider at its heart is a dark tale of violence, guilt and retribution shot on 8mm film against a backdrop of Mods and Rockers violence on the streets of 1960s Brighton
• The Outcasts in Pictures (2024, 15 mins): the director recalls the film's production as he looks back through his own location photographs in this video essay
• The Wanderings of Ulick Joyce (1975, 5 mins): a would-be king, banished from his realm for unholy deeds, is doomed to wander old Ireland forever in this distinctive animated short by Gillian Lacey
• First pressing only: Illustrated booklet with a Director's Statement, new writing on the film by the BFI's Vic Pratt, an archive essay by Dr Diane A Rodgers and recollections of The Fugitive by Robert Wynne-Simmons; notes on the special features and credits