Mná and Sons is a site-specific film directed by Aoife Desmond. It combines a critical essay response with inserted performative actions. The film is structured around seasonal changes, evolving plant, bird and insect life, built works in progress and transformation of a vacant city centre site to temporary inhabitation as part of TEST SITE collaborative project. The site specific performance sequence 'gold woman never said this would be easy' presents a series of solo and collective improvisations which ritualise and acknowledge environmental loss and transition. Aoife Desmond is joined by Macha Shewolf (voice, drums and movement), Kanako Haru (movement) and Dan Walsh (drums). These contrasted visual elements are framed with layers of field recordings, vocal loops, acoustic interventions and voiceover. Aoife Desmond has filmed in 16mm, with additional performance cinematography by Narayan Van Maele, Denise Woods and Andrew O’Reilly. Sound design by Fiona Sheil.