This February at the BFI Mark Kermode was joined at MK3D by four fantastic guests; EE Rising stars Sheila Atim and Naomi Ackie, director Brett Morgen, and director Carol Morley.
Mark opened the show by taking questions from the audience: top questions this month asked him to list who he would like to see win the awards this year, and to list his top five David Lynch films, in true Lynchian fashion; reverse.
First to join Mark on stage was Sheila Atim, whose body of work and outstanding performance in THE WOMAN KING awarded her an EE Rising Star nomination. She talked about her performance in the film and the amazing bonding experience of filming in location. She talked about her work in theatre, and about an acting performance that changed her life: the famous scene between Michael Fassbender and Liam Cunningham in HUNGER (Steve McQueen 2008).
Next on stage was director Carol Morley, who spoke about her film TYPIST ARTIST PIRATE KING, a delicate and in-depth insight into the life of a forgotten artist Audrey Amiss who persuaded her psychiatric nurse to take her on a road trip. Carol went on to discuss her guilty pleasure, THE REBEL (Robert Day 1961, with Tony Hancock), and a film that changed her life, SWEETIE (Jane Campion 1989).
Mark then went back to the audience for more questions, where he was asked to list his top three guilty pleasures.
Naomi Ackie was next to join Mark on stage, where she discussed her leading role in WHITNEY HOUSTON: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY (Kasi Lemmons 2023), her career and her EE Rising Star nomination. She then went on to talk about a performance that changed her life: Cate Blanchett in BLUE JASMINE (Woody Allen 2013), and eloquently explained the many layers to Blanchett’s exquisitely subtle performance.
Last to take the stage was director and documentary filmmaker Brett Morgen to talk about his BAFTA-nominated documentary MOONAGE DAYDREAM (2022). Brett spoke about the style of the film and the editing process, as well as his freedom to convey Bowie through his own interpretation. He then talked about a film that changed his life, ONE FROM THE HEART (Francis Ford Coppola, 1981).
Mark closed the show with Sound and Vision, paying a homage to ZIGGY STARDUST.
