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Aoife McArdle

{{short description|Irish writer, director, and cinematographer}}

{{EngvarB|date=January 2018}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}

Aoife McArdle ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|iː|f|ə}} {{respell|EE|fa}}){{cite EPD|18}} is an Irish writer, director, and cinematographer working across film, television drama, music videos and commercials.{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/50-people-to-watch-in-2018-1.3328763|title=50 people to watch in 2018|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=18 January 2018}} She has received an IFTA Rising Star Award, a WFTV Best Director Award as well as Directors Guild of America and Primetime Emmy nominations for her work.

Early life

Aoife McArdle grew up in Omagh, Northern Ireland.

She studied English Literature 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 film school. She began her film and music video career upon moving to London in 2005.

Career

From 2020 to 2022, she was a director and producer on the television series Severance which aired on Apple TV to universal acclaim. The show starred Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette, Christopher Walken and John Turturro.{{Citation |title=Severance |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/severance/s01 |language=en |access-date=2022-03-21}}

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.{{Cite web|date=2021-07-04|title=All of This Unreal Time review – Cillian Murphy confesses all in pounding sound and blinding light|url=http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2021/jul/04/all-of-this-unreal-time-review-cillian-murphy-max-porter-central-hall-manchester|access-date=2021-08-01|website=the Guardian|language=en}}{{Cite news|last=Sulcas|first=Roslyn|date=2021-07-06|title=Processing the Pandemic at the Manchester International Festival|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/06/arts/manchester-international-festival.html|access-date=2021-08-01|issn=0362-4331}}

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.{{Cite news |last=Hayes |first=Katy |title=Film review: Kissing Candice |newspaper=The Times |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/film-review-kissing-candice-ktk0jf6ff |access-date=2021-12-04 |issn=0140-0460}}{{Cite web |last=Mobarak |first=Jared |date=2017-09-09 |title=TIFF Review: 'Kissing Candice' Oozes Sexuality and Dark Glamour |url=https://thefilmstage.com/tiff-review-kissing-candice-oozes-sexuality-and-dark-glamour/ |access-date=2021-12-04 |website=The Film Stage |language=en-US}}

In 2015, she was approached by Jefferson Hack from Dazed magazine to write and direct a short film to accompany U2's track "Every Breaking Wave." The film received praise from Spike Jonze and Alejandro González Iñárritu and was nominated for four UK Music Video awards.{{Cite web |title=Irish filmmaker tipped for success releases new short movie for U2 song |url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/movies/movie-news/irish-filmmaker-tipped-for-success-releases-new-short-movie-for-u2-song-30987687.html |access-date=2022-03-21 |website=independent |date=12 February 2015 |language=en}}

She has created music videos for Jon Hopkins{{cite news |last1=Minsker |first1=Evan |date=24 April 2013 |title=Jon Hopkins' "Open Eye Signal" Video Features a Skateboarding Odyssey |url=http://pitchfork.com/news/50459-watch-jon-hopkins-open-eye-signal-video-features-a-skateboarding-odyssey/ |accessdate=23 November 2015 |work=Pitchfork |quote=}} and Bryan Ferry, television commercials for Honda,{{cite news|last1=Diaz|first1=Ann-Christine|date=14 August 2015|title=Honda Blasts Off in Brand Campaign From W&K London|publisher=Creativity Online|url=http://creativity-online.com/work/honda-ignition/43017|accessdate=22 November 2015}} and Nike and Super Bowl commercials for Squarespace, Audi and Toyota. Her work in advertising has promoted social equality.{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/celebrity/arid-30775971.html|title = Irish director behind much talked about Super Bowl ad tackling gender pay gap|date = 7 February 2017}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.joe.ie/movies-tv/watch-super-bowl-ad-everyone-talking-directed-irish-director-576560|title=WATCH: The Super Bowl ad that everyone was talking about was directed by an Irish director|date=7 February 2017 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishnews.com/arts/2017/07/07/news/arts-q-a-northern-irish-film-director-aoife-mcardle-on-flannery-o-connor-pj-harvey-and-gay-marriage-1078996/|title = Arts Q&A: Film director Aoife McArdle on Flannery O'Connor, PJ Harvey and gay marriage|date = 7 July 2017}}

Her short-form work has won multiple awards including a UK Music Video Award, D&AD Pencils, Lions at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and Gold British Arrows, Clios and AICP awards.{{Cite web|title=2018 British Arrows Award Winners|url=https://www.adforum.com/award-organization/6650245/showcase/2018/winners|access-date=2021-10-23|website=www.adforum.com|language=en}}

Artistic style

Her narratives often centre around outsider characters and existential themes, moving between the authentic and the surreal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishnews.com/arts/2017/07/07/news/arts-q-a-northern-irish-film-director-aoife-mcardle-on-flannery-o-connor-pj-harvey-and-gay-marriage-1078996/|title=Arts Q&A: Film director Aoife McArdle on Flannery O'Connor, PJ Harvey and gay marriage|last=Lee|first=Jenny|website=The Irish News|date=7 July 2017|access-date=18 January 2018}}{{Cite news|url=https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/yww4v7/trailer-aoife-mcardle-kissing-candice|title=have an exclusive look at the trailer for aoife mcardle's debut feature film|date=31 August 2017|work=I-d|access-date=17 February 2018|language=en-uk}}

McArdle's visual style is characterised by distinctive locations, long, choreographed tracking and crane shots and low-key lighting. She favours anamorphic lenses and shooting on 35mm film.{{cite web|last1=MVOD|title=INTERVIEW – AOIFE MCARDLE|url=http://www.mvod.tv/interview-aoife-mcardle/|website=mvod.tv|accessdate=24 November 2015|archivedate=10 January 2016|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160110135657/http://www.mvod.tv/interview-aoife-mcardle/}}

Filmography

= Feature films =

= Television =

= Short films =

= Music videos =

= Commercials =

Awards and nominations

  • 2023 Nominated for Hugo award for Best Dramatic Presentation Long Form
  • 2023 Winner of BBC Studios Director Award WFTV
  • 2023 Winner of Rising Star award IFTA
  • 2023 Nominated for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Drama Series by DGA for 'Severance'
  • 2022 Directed the Peabody Award winning show Severance
  • 2022 Primetime Emmy Nominated for Outstanding Drama Series for 'Severance'
  • 2022 Nominated for Best Directing in a Streaming Series, Drama by the Hollywood Critics Association for 'Severance'
  • 2022 Nominated for Best Narrative Short at Tribeca Film Festival for 'All of This Unreal Time'
  • 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{{Cite web|title=2018 British Arrows Award Winners|url=https://www.adforum.com/award-organization/6650245/showcase/2018/winners|access-date=2021-10-23|website=www.adforum.com|language=en}}
  • 2018 Nominated for the Glass Lion at Cannes for 'Daughter', Audi
  • 2017 Nominated for the Discovery award at Toronto International Film Festival for Kissing Candice
  • 2015 Nominated for Best Music Video at Camerimage for 'Every Breaking Wave' U2
  • 2015 Nominated for Best Music Video at UK Music Video Awards 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 Nominated for Best International Short Film at Raindance for 'Italy, Texas: Wild Souls in the hot, blind, earth'
  • 2013 Winner of Best Cinematography at UK Music Video Awards for 'Open Eye Signal', Jon Hopkins{{cite web|last1=UK Music Video Awards|title=UK Music Video Awards Winners 2013|url=http://www.ukmva.com/content/past-winners/2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150228064823/http://www.ukmva.com/content/past-winners/2013|archive-date=28 February 2015|website=ukmva.com|accessdate=24 November 2015}}
  • 2011 Winner of Best Music Video at Rushes Soho Shorts for 'Isles', Little Comets{{cite web |last1=Behind Magazine |title=55DSL present ITALY, TEXAS a movie by Aofie McArdle |url=http://www.behindmagazine.com/contents/55dsl-present-italy-texas-a-movie-by-aofie-mcardle/ |accessdate=24 November 2015 |website=behindmagazine.com |quote=}}
  • 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

{{reflist}}

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External links

  • {{IMDb name|5685519}}
  • {{Vimeo user | aoifemcardle | Aoife McArdle}}
  • [https://www.aoifemcardle.com Official Website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:McArdle, Aoife}}

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century Irish people

Category:People from Omagh

Category:Music video directors from Northern Ireland

Category:Irish television directors

Category:Alumni of Trinity College Dublin

Category:Alumni of Bournemouth University