Close-Up Culture

When a care worker vanishes, a gripping thriller unfolds where the most marginalised voice holds the ultimate truth. Director Aisling Byrne breaks down how her ensemble blew up traditional filmmaking structures to deliver a sharp, defiant lesson in genuine on-screen authorship. In Mary Is Missing, the central mystery depends on whether we believe the people…

Following its BAFTA qualification, writer-producer Kate Radcliffe and director Sophie King sit down to discuss Still Life, their deeply personal short film starring Ophelia Lovibond and Jacob Anderson. Drawing from Radcliffe’s own experience of losing her son, Dexter, the creative duo explore how they balanced profound grief with unexpected humour to portray the reality of…

By Genevieve Dammery Following South London Film Festival, we sat down with Olly Ginelli to discuss his Jury Prize-winning film The Long Spring. WARNING: this article contains minor spoilers. CUC: Olly, welcome to Close Up Culture. Do you want to just begin by telling us a little bit about your film The Long Spring and…

Acclaimed magician Chris Cook pulls back the curtain on Fake, his hit fringe show exploring our cultural obsession with deception and misinformation. What first inspired you to explore deception and illusion in Fake? I think working as a magician means you’re naturally fascinated by deception. Inherently, no one ever believes anything a magician says so I’ve…

Photographer Kandice Chavous uses a director’s brain to craft rich, cinematic worlds that explore the fullness of the Black experience through mythology, fashion, and analogue film. In this interview, she discusses building tension between shown and imagined stories, embracing artistic imperfections, and the power of making viewers linger. Your work has such a strong sense…

Hi Livvy, thank you for joining us on Close-Up Culture! We’re here to talk about your latest short film, Red City, a gothic horror short that examines how immortality, religion, and humanity – or lack thereof – has shaped the connection between two ancient vampires. Where did the idea for the film come from? Back…

We last caught up with influencer Cassie Rose in 2022, and a lot has changed since then. We chat with Cassie about life, grief, resilience, fitness, travel, and the exciting new chapter she’s building for herself. It’s been a few years since we last caught up. What’s the biggest thing that’s happened in your world since…