The Secret of Kells

A beautifully detailed animated film about the creation of "The Book of Kells."

This is a beautifully detailed animated film about the creation of the Book of Kells. It features young Brendan (the nephew of the Abbott of Kells) who finds his calling as an illuminator during the dark ages working on a book meant to bring hope and light to those harsh times.

The film is a spectacle! Quite honestly the illustration style at first glance wasn’t something that would have caught my eye but I found myself not only captivated by the movie but I restarted it immediately to look at the details—the intricate drawings on the tower walls, the mist rolling into frame in the pattern of Celtic knot work, even the distinct illustrations of the wolves—all mirroring the phenomenal designs from The Book of Kells. Add to that a beautiful soundtrack and the highly recognizable voice of Irish actor Brendan Gleeson and one can totally understand why it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film in 2010.

Anyone with an appreciation of Celtic design or beautiful illustration in general should check out this stunningly rendered story.