Aoife McArdle
Aoife McArdle is an Irish film director, screenwriter and cinematographer working across film, television drama, music video and high-end commercials.[1] Her debut feature-length film, 'Kissing Candice', premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2017 and at Berlin International Film Festival in February 2018 to critical acclaim. [2] [3]
In 2021 she directed the short film and immersive installation 'All of This Unreal Time' featuring Cillian Murphy performing a monologue written by Max Porter with music composed by Jon Hopkins, Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner. The piece launched at Manchester International Festival .[4][5] She has created music videos for Jon Hopkins[6] and Bryan Ferry and television commercials for Honda[7] and Nike.
Her work has won numerous awards including a UK Music Video Award, D&AD Pencils, Lions at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and Gold British Arrows.[8]
Early life[]
Aoife McArdle grew up in Omagh, Northern Ireland.
She studied English Literature and Film at Trinity College, Dublin where, alongside creative writing, she developed an interest in photography and cinematography, shooting and editing films on Super 8 and Mini DV. She went on to complete a Masters in Film & TV production at Bournemouth University.
Artistic style[]
Her narratives often centre around outsider characters and existential themes, veering between the authentic and the surreal.[9][10]
McArdle's visual style is characterised by distinctive, exterior locations, long, choreographed tracking and crane shots, low-key lighting and vivid colours. She favours anamorphic lenses and shooting on 35mm film.[11]
Filmography[]
Feature films[]
- Kissing Candice - Irish Film Board - 2018
Television[]
- Severance - Apple - 2022
- Brave New World - Peacock - 2020
Short films[]
- All of this Unreal Time - Manchester International Festival - 2021
- Italy, Texas - Vice/55DSL - 2013
- Beyond the Fervent Heat - Design Forum - 2013
Music videos[]
- Trouble in Town - Coldplay - 2020
- Every Breaking Wave - U2 - 2015
- Loop De Li - Bryan Ferry - 2014
- Half-Light - Wilkinson - 2014
- Open Eye Signal - Jon Hopkins - 2013
- Red Dust - James Vincent McMorrow - 2013
- Glacier - James Vincent McMorrow - 2013
- Cavalier - James Vincent McMorrow - 2013
- Lesson Number Seven - Clock Opera - 2012
- Seraphin - Simian Mobile Disco - 2012
- Desire - Anna Calvi - 2011
- Isles - Little Comets - 2011
- K Hole - Ali Love - 2006
- What's your Damage - Test Icicles - 2005
- Circle, square, triangle - Test Icicles - 2005
- Helicopters - Bloc Party - 2005
- Pioneers - Bloc Party - 2005
Commercials[]
- Live the Game - Playstation - 2019
- Dream with Us - Nike - 2019
- Good Odds - Toyota - 2018
- Runner - Toyota - 2018
- First Breath - Alzheimer's Research UK - 2018
- Equal Love - Absolut - 2017
- Daughter - Audi - 2017
- Prince with 1000 Enemies - Under Armour - 2016
- Numbers - Under Armour - 2016
- Raise - Secret - 2016
- Ignition - Honda - 2015
- Feel More - Samsung - 2015
- This is Major - Electric Ireland - 2014
- Wheels on the Car - Safer Scotland - 2013
- L'Homme Idéal - GQ Magazine - 2008
Awards[]
- 2020 In Book for Direction at D&AD Awards for 'Trouble in Town', Coldplay
- 2018 Winner of Bronze Lion at Cannes for 'Good Odds'. Toyota
- 2018 Winner of Silver for Direction at Clio Awards for 'Good Odds'. Toyota
- 2018 Nominated for Crystal Bear, Best Film in Generation 14plus at the Berlin International Film Festival for Kissing Candice.
- 2018 Winner of Graphite Pencil for Direction at D&AD Awards for 'Equal Love', Absolut
- 2018 Winner of Yellow Pencil for Cinematography at D&AD Awards for 'Equal Love', Absolut
- 2018 Winner of two Golds, a Silver and a Bronze at British Arrow awards for 'Equal Love', Absolut[12]
- 2015 Nominated for Best Music Video at Camerimage for 'Every Breaking Wave' U2
- 2014 Nominated for Best Director at UK Music Video Awards
- 2014 Nominated for Best Music Video at Camerimage 'Red Dust' James Vincent McMorrow
- 2014 In Book for Cinematography at D&AD Awards for 'Open Eye Signal', Jon Hopkins
- 2013 Winner of Best Cinematography at UK Music Video Awards for 'Open Eye Signal', Jon Hopkins[13]
- 2011 Winner of Best Music Video at Rushes Soho Shorts for 'Isles', Little Comets[14]
- 2009 Winner of Best Commercial at Art Director's Club Paris for 'L'homme Ideal', GQ Magazine
- 2008 Winner of Bronze Lion at Cannes for 'L'homme Ideal', GQ Magazine
References[]
- ^ "50 people to watch in 2018". The Irish Times. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
- ^ Hayes, Katy. "Film review: Kissing Candice". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- ^ Mobarak, Jared (9 September 2017). "TIFF Review: 'Kissing Candice' Oozes Sexuality and Dark Glamour". The Film Stage. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- ^ "All of This Unreal Time review – Cillian Murphy confesses all in pounding sound and blinding light". the Guardian. 4 July 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ Sulcas, Roslyn (6 July 2021). "Processing the Pandemic at the Manchester International Festival". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ Minsker, Evan (24 April 2013). "Jon Hopkins' "Open Eye Signal" Video Features a Skateboarding Odyssey". Pitchfork. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
"The first single from Immunity is called "Open Eye Signal", and it is eight minutes long. Its accompanying video was directed by Aoife McArdle." Evan Misker
- ^ Diaz, Ann-Christine (14 August 2015). "Honda Blasts Off in Brand Campaign From W&K London". Creativity Online. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
- ^ "2018 British Arrows Award Winners". www.adforum.com. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ^ Lee, Jenny. "Arts Q&A: Film director Aoife McArdle on Flannery O'Connor, PJ Harvey and gay marriage". The Irish News. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
- ^ "have an exclusive look at the trailer for aoife mcardle's debut feature film". I-d. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
- ^ MVOD. "INTERVIEW – AOIFE MCARDLE". mvod.tv. Archived from the original on 10 January 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
- ^ "2018 British Arrows Award Winners". www.adforum.com. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ^ UK Music Video Awards. "UK Music Video Awards Winners 2013". ukmva.com. Archived from the original on 28 February 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
- ^ Behind Magazine. "55DSL present ITALY, TEXAS a movie by Aofie McArdle". behindmagazine.com. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
As a director, Aoife McArdle is part realist, part dreamer with an eye for beautiful imagery. Her directing style blends a documentary-like approach with cool, cinematic visuals and a mesmerising atmosphere. Thanks to a knack for humour and a bonafide love of film and literature, Aoife's showreel has a healthy dose of wit and the brains to match. Aoife first made her name as a director in the world of commercials, making spots for the likes of Nike, GQ and Becks to name a few, and has so far been decorated with two Clios, a Cannes Lion and an award at The Art Director's Club in Paris. Since venturing into the music video scene, Aoife has made waves with videos that include a hypnotic promo for Simian Mobile Disco and a stark picture of modern British life for Little Comets, which earned the RSSF Best Music Video title in 2011.
External links[]
- Living people
- 21st-century Irish people
- People from County Tyrone
- Irish music video directors
- Irish television directors
- Alumni of Trinity College Dublin
- Alumni of Bournemouth University