Broken English
In this wonderfully imaginative biopic, iconic performer Marianne Faithfull speaks about her singular life and career to a Record Keeper from the fictional Ministry of Not Forgetting (George MacKay). Tilda Swinton co-stars.
Description
I never saw myself as a pop singer,” says Marianne Faithfull in this wonderfully imaginative portrait of the iconic chanteuse that includes her last recorded performance. She’s speaking about her life to the Record Keeper at the Ministry of Not Forgetting (played by George MacKay), a fictional institution dedicated to examining historical myths and truths, managed by a stern Overseer (Tilda Swinton). Rather than dwell on the more challenging moments of her life, directors Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard use this clever framework to focus on Faithfull’s extraordinary career—from the seminal release of her eponymous debut album to her distinctive interpretations of Brecht/Weill songs to collaborations with Nick Cave and other contemporary musicians. Rounding out this unique biopic are performances of classic Faithfull songs by vocalists including Beth Orton, Natasha Khan, and Courtney Love. —Rod Armstrong
Biographies
Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard met at Goldsmiths art school and have worked collaboratively as visual artists since the mid-‘90s. They are longtime collaborators with Nick Cave, directing a number of his music videos and the 3D audiobook of his novel The Death of Bunny Munro. That partnership led to their first feature documentary, 20,000 Days on Earth (Festival 2014), which won the British Independent Film Awards’ Douglas Hickox Award. Among their other films are Live from the Centre of the Earth (2020) and The Extraordinary Miss Flower (2024).
