The striking new documentary, Sailm nan Daoine, will be released in cinemas across the UK from 15 May 2026, welcoming audiences along on an intimate and heartfelt road trip which explores one of the most emotionally resonant and culturally significant musical traditions: Gaelic psalm singing.
Directed by Jack Archer (Bill Douglas: My Best Friend), the film approaches psalm singing not as an artefact or historical curiosity, but as something communal and fiercely alive.
Spoken part in English, part in Gaelic, Sailm nan Daoine offers a fresh take on the thousand-year-old tradition as musician and sound designer Rob MacNeacail embarks on a personal and communal road trip as both documentary participant and narrator across Scotland and Ireland.
Rob’s journey begins in the picturesque village of Carlops in the Scottish Borders: a special place bursting with talented musicians and deep thinkers. From there, Rob travels to the Western Isles of Scotland, East Belfast and on to County Cork in the south of Ireland, following ancient paths that unravel threads of music and ideas. The pilgrimage brings up many questions in Rob’s mind about identity, culture and community as he immerses the audience in a new perspective through his music and portable sound recorder.
Rob also composes the soundtrack to the film, incorporating melodies, field recordings and musical encounters he makes along the way. The combination of harmonium, whistle, guitar and synthesised drones give the music a futuristic tone, whilst being steeped in tradition. A recording of a supermarket freezer in Broadford becomes the soundscape for a futuristic rendition of the Ossianic Ballad, Duan na Ceàrdaich.
The film’s release comes at a time that sees a surge of interest in Gaelic vocal traditions. In November,Radiohead played a recording of Psalm 9 sung in Gaelic during the interval of their sold‑out show at London’s O2 Arena, introducing tens of thousands of fans to the sound. Sailm nan Daoine is an entertaining and heart-warming film about the power of community, family and the resilience needed to keep a language alive.
Sailm Nan Daoine had its World Premiere at this year’s Glasgow Film Festival.
The film will be released in UK cinemas on 15 May 2026.
Beul beag by Aonghas MacNeacail
a bheiòl bhig, an seinn
thu dhomh nad chànan
ùr na h-orain òg a thòi-
little mouth, sing to me in your new language