Foxtrot Films

creative original storytelling
films by Margy Kinmonth

Conversation pieces: Margy Kinmonth talks to Rory Keenan

Rory Keenan and Margy Kinmonth
Rory Keenan and Margy Kinmonth

“AFTERPLAY” is a play about what happens after – inspired by the great Russian playwright writer Anton Chekhov, and written by Brian Friel, widely recognised as one of Ireland’s greatest dramatists. In his masterful one act play Friel (1929 – 2015) revisits two iconic characters created by Chekhov (1860 – 1904) from “Three Sisters” and “Uncle Vanya”, and hauntingly evokes what might have happened next.

“Afterplay” starring Rory Keenan, premiered in early March at The Coronet Theatre in London. Our contributor, Margy Kinmonth was lucky enough to catch it before the production was forced to close due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The theatre went dark and many involved either caught Covid19 or were furloughed, but the taste of this play remained strongly in her mind. With all that is going on, what is it really about? […]

Read full article by Margy Kinmonth: CREATIVITY IN TIMES OF COVID: FILM DIRECTOR MARGY KINMONTH IN CONVERSATION WITH ACTOR RORY KEENAN published in Russian Art + Culture on 4 June 2020.

Noel Gallagher on Lowry’s crowds: “They all look like alcoholics to me”…

Noel Gallagher in Looking for Lowry
Photo by Margy Kinmonth © www.foxtrotfilms.com

Director Margy Kinmonth writes:

Get the DVD here

I loved meeting Noel Gallagher to film his thoughts on the painter L. S. Lowry.
We filmed in the upstairs of Grouchos – this living legend sunk into an armchair, wearing his black leather jacket and a big red ruby ring. I knew Noel likes Lowry, he really relates to him as a Northerner, he likes Lowry’s football crowds, he likes Lowry’s “mad eyes”, and he likes Lowry’s little dogs. In this unseen clip from our archive Noel wonders what Lowry would do with a Northern town today, the factories are all dead, textile industries closed down, there are no people. Crowds are gone…a bit like today.
Luckily they’re in Lowry’s paintings forever and in my film. Have a look…

 

Looking for Lowry, a Margy Kinmonth film

Sneak Peak into Foxtrot Film’s Archive – Ian McKellen on L.S. Lowry’s crowds

Ian McKellen and Margy Kinmonth Photo © FoxtrotFilms.com

Director Margy Kinmonth writes:

Get the DVD here

During lockdown I’ve been painting the empty streets of London, with the sound of birdsong and sirens for company. No crowds. I remembered shooting my film about painter L.S Lowry, going out and reconstructing his paintings with my camera. I shot crowds on long lenses in train stations, skating rinks, parks, in the snow, shopping centres and rainy football stadiums. Ian McKellen responds to Lowry’s crowds in this amazing unseen clip – he totally gets the theatricality of Lowry’s work. I hope you’ll enjoy these sneak peaks from the archive which I’ll be releasing, featuring people who were inspired by L.S. Lowry, like artist Dame Paula Rego – his pupil at the Slade, Christopher Bailey’s Lowry Collection for Burberry and the one and only Noel Gallagher. Lowry marked out every character in the crowd with his paintbrush and placed them into his own unique world. You may not be able to get into the galleries right now, but his crowds are here now – enjoy!

My paintings of empty streets are on Instagram @margy_kinmonth

 

ARTISTS ON THE FRONT LINE
– between life and death

“Falling Leaves” by Sian Tucker at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London.
Photo © www.foxtrotfilms.com

Art is totally uplifting when you’re at your lowest ebb
NHS patient

Director Margy Kinmonth writes:

Throughout history, artists have made immensely moving work around illness, enhancing environments where patients and medical staff battle on the front line. My film (developed with the support of the Wellcome Trust) argues that culture plays a beneficial role in recovery, promoting wellness through art. And never has a health service needed the healing presence of art more urgently than now.

If you would like to donate funds to help make this film, please contact us.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

REVOLUTION Director of Photography Gennady Nemikh with Margy Kinmonth filming in Moscow before social distancing. Photo © www.foxtrotfilms.com

Love In a Nutshell is a stage adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s selected short stories exploring love and relationships – poignant and hilarious stories.

Film Director Margy Kinmonth went to see the performance:

The intimate atmosphere and proximity of the cast reminds me of my experiences while researching my Russian films, watching performances in Moscow and St Petersburg, where music, poetry and plays are regularly staged in the small apartment museums.

(See my film REVOLUTION – NEW ART FOR A NEW WORLD available on DVD: store.foxtrotfilms.com.)

One of Russia’s greatest writers, Anton Chekhov (1860 – 1904) wrote hundreds of short stories. He started out writing jokes and anecdotes for popular magazines to earn money, while studying to become a doctor. He knew how to help others.

He gives his characters boundless imagination and a sense of humour as their means of escape. And in today’s times, laughter is the best medicine. 

Read full article by Margy Kinmonth: Timeless Chekhov Short Stories published in Russian Art + Culture on 3 April 2020.

Uncle Vanya: Tragicomic tale of unrequited love…

State Theatre Museum, St Petersburg. Photo © Margy Kinmonth

Director Margy Kinmonth writes:

When researching my Russian films I delved into the vast collection of Russian theatre memorabilia, at the State Theatre Museum in St Petersburg, including Checkhov’s original costumes and photos.

I saw the play Uncle Vanya recently and here’s my piece for Russian Art + Culture, published on 18 March 2020:
UNCLE VANYA: a tragicomical tale of unrequited love, ageing and disappointment