Filmmaker Aoife McArdle has joined SMUGGLER for worldwide commercial representation.
McArdle is an award-winning writer and director whose unique visual style and dedication to craft have brought her acclaim across commercials, music videos, film, and TV.
After her studies in literature and film, McArdle began her journey directing music videos, winning a UKMVA for her breakout “Open Eye Signal” for Jon Hopkins. She went on to collaborate with some of the world’s most prominent musical acts, including U2 and Coldplay. This led to opportunities directing commercials, where she continuously and consistently raises the bar. Her work has been recognized with multiple Cannes Lions, British Arrows, Ciclopes, and AICP Awards, to name a few. “Equal Love” for Absolut won the coveted Graphite Pencil for Best Direction at the D&AD Awards. Prior to joining SMUGGLER, McArdle was repped in the ad arena by Somesuch across the U.S. and U.K.
McArdle’s debut feature Kissing Candice premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and emerged as a critics’ favorite. The summer of 2021 brought the premiere of McArdle’s short film and full-scale immersive art installation “All of This Unreal Time,” starring Cillian Murphy, at the Manchester International Festival. The film and installation received widespread acclaim and glowing reviews. The Guardian wrote, “Intense and all-encompassing, the piece never feels overdramatic or insincere. Its sense of despair is accompanied by a glorious, quiet celebration of the ordinary, the regular, the taken-for-granted.” 2021 also saw McArdle’s continued work in television, directing and producing Severance for AppleTV+, starring Patricia Arquette, Adam Scott, John Turturro, and Christopher Walken.
Angelina Jolie To Receive Gothams Performer Tribute For “Marie”
The Gotham Film & Media Institute has announced that Academy Award®-winner Angelina Jolie will receive the Performer Tribute for her performance as Maria Callas in Pablo Larrain’s upcoming film Maria, at the 34th edition of The Gothams, taking place on Monday, December 2, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. The tribute will honor Jolie’s rendition of legendary opera singer Callas.
“Like the legendary figure she portrays, Angelina Jolie transcends mere performance to craft something extraordinary. Her interpretation captures both Maria Callas’ complexity as an artist and the cultural resonance that defines an icon,” said Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of The Gotham. “We are thrilled to celebrate what is truly one of Ms. Jolie’s career-defining performances in the final installment of Pablo Larrain’s magnificent trilogy.”
Maria follows Callas, one of the most iconic performers of the 20th century, as she retreats to Paris after a glamorous and tumultuous life in the public eye. The film reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days as the diva reckons with her identity and life. Written by Steven Knight, with cinematography by Ed Lachman and costumes by Massimo Cantini Parrini, Maria has Jolie joined by a star-studded cast including Alba Rohrwacher (Hungry Hearts, Happy As Lazzaro), Pierfrancesco Favino (Padrenostro, Adagio), Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog, Dolemite Is My Name), and Valeria Golino (For Your Love, The Beautiful Game). Marie premiered to critical acclaim at the Venice Film Festival and Jolie’s performance continues to stun audiences at the New York Film Festival, London Film Festival and the AFI Fest. Maria will be in... Read More