Elle Brooks-Tao has directed an absorbing drama about a young man in emotional crisis in a small Irish seaside town, for Irish singer Moncrieff's heartfelt Young Men. 

The song is an uplifting anthem that addresses mental health in young men, and the director approaches the same subject in a compelling fashion. Written as well as directed by Brooks-Tao, the central character is a young man - played by Eanna Hardwicke - who faces the good-natured taunts of his group of mates when he leaves the pub early. 

As he walks across the deserted nighttime streets, Brooks-Tao starts to reveal the vulnerability and pain that exists behind the mask of bravado through a series of flashbacks - and nails a convincing motive for this young man's mental distress: guilt and shame at previous bad behaviour; a traumatic episode with his father. 

This is really impressive stuff - beautifully shot by DoP Leon Brehony - which is worthy of comparisons to superior TV and film drama, for its sensitive and insightful look at young malehood. And has to be said that Eanna Hardwicke has something of the Paul Mescal about him.