Writer/director Andrea Arnold is an artist whose distinctive voice and arresting style have, rightfully so, established her as one of the greatest filmmakers in contemporary British cinema. For our latest print edition, we take inspiration from her sixth feature, Bird, an urban fable set in Kent about the burgeoning friendship between a rebellious girl on the cusp of teendom and a mysterious stranger searching for his roots.
Bird sees Arnold’s trademark, emotionally-heightened social realism slowly evolving into something a lot more surreal. Having only dipped her toes in the waters of myth and magical realism in the past, here she ambitiously saturates her work in the expansive field of the fantastical in more forceful ways, something that convincingly emerges through the ethereal allure of Franz Rogowski as the otherworldly titular figure. The film also features outstanding performances by newcomer Nykiya Adams as 12-year old protagonist Bailey, whose point of view grounds and shapes Arnold’s filmmaking, and Barry Keoghan as anarchist dad and psychedelic toad-whisperer, Bug.
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This issue comes together as a wider celebration of Arnold’s craft, includes interviews with director and cast, as well as a dossier delving into and reappraising the filmmaker’s incredible back catalogue.
On the cover
Franz Rogowski graces our cover, illustrated in bold, vibrant colours by Paris-based artist Marie Mohanna. The concept for this cover came from the energy of Bird – the character – as an uplifting beacon of hope for Bailey’s waning capacity for childlike wonder.
Elsewhere in the issue, we have new illustration work from Rumbidzai Savanhu, Stephanie Jade, Zoé Maghamès Peters, John Scarratt, Snids and Stéphanie Sergeant.
In the issue
Lead review: Bird
Hannah Strong on the lyrical and earthy aspects of Andrea Arnold’s gorgeous new work.
The Sensual World
Nia Childs meets filmmaker Andrea Arnold who dissects her method and explains her love of ethereal textures.
Outsider Odysseys
The Andrea Arnold corpus – from her early shorts through to 2023’s Cow – examined via six punchy essays.
Between Two Worlds
Savina Petkova in conversation with the German actor Franz Rogowski, who picks apart his own screen image.
View from the Balcony
Gamer; motocross-lover; method actor (kinda). David Jenkins has a chat with Irish megastar, Barry Keoghan.
South by South-East
Mike McCahill takes a trainride along the southeast coast of England in search of Thames Estuary cinema.
In the back section
Mikey Madison and Sean Baker
The director and star of Palme d’Or-winner, Anora, speak to Iana Murray going deep into the world of sex work.
Mati Diop
Rōgan Graham meets the maker of the remarkable prizewinning docu-essay hybrid, Dahomey, who explains the film’s urgent anti-colonial message.
Steve McQueen
The British artist and filmmaker meets Rōgan Graham and talks the vital importance of primary research that went into making his new film, Blitz.
Tyler Taormina
Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point is a Yuletide classic in the making, and its director has a sincere fondness for the holiday season.
In review
Sean Baker’s Anora
Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie á Deux
Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door
Milisuthando Bongela’s Milisuthando
Mati Diop’s Dahomey
Mark Cousins’ A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things
Johan Grimonprez’s Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
Chris Sanders’ The Wild Robot
François Ozon’s The Crime is Mine
Jacques Audriard’s Emilia Pérez
Peter Murimi and Daphne Matziaraki’s The Battle For Laikipia
Pascal Bergamin’s Portraits of Dangerous Women
Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light
Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor’s No Other Land
Tyler Taormina’s Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point
Ali Abbasi’s The Apprentice
Aaron Schimberg’s A Different Man
Edward Berger’s Conclave
Malcolm Washington’s The Piano Lesson
Plus, Matt Turner selects six key home ents releases for your consideration; Hannah Strong sends a postcard from the Venice Film Festival; David Jenkins sends a postcard from the San Sebastián Film Festival, and Marina Ashioti assesses the queer impact of the iconic Buffy the Vampire Slayer in a Halloween-themed Sticky Gold Stars column.
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