Aoife McArdle was born in Northern Ireland. Her work as a music video director has earned her a nomination for Best Director at the 2014 UK Music Video Awards. “Kissing Candice” is her feature film debut.
“Kissing Candice” will premiere at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival on September 8.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
AM: It’s about the vivid world of a teenage girl growing up on the Irish border. We experience the world through her eyes — the power of her dreams, her desires, and her fears. The film tackles the needs we all have in those years to escape and challenge the world in whatever way we can.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
AM: I’d always wanted to write a film inspired by the vibrant young people, beautiful locations, and dark stories I’d grown up around in Ireland.
W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?
AM: I want people to feel a bit energized, like they’ve experienced a slightly different or unexpected side to Ireland. Ideally they love the characters and feel moved or excited by their story, but perhaps the most important thing for me is that the audience leaves the cinema feeling like they’ve been truly immersed in the world of the film.
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
AM: The low budget. It forces you to draw on all your creative resources, invention, and energy levels.
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
AM: I wrote a script that the Irish Film Board luckily decided to back. It’s an independent, low budget film so I had to draw on a lot of favors, the passion and support of the crew, and the people who represent me in order to get it finished.
W&H: What does it mean for you to have your film play at the Toronto International Film Festival?
AM: It means a great deal to be premiering it at such an esteemed festival. It makes all the hard work worth it.
W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?
AM: The best advice is to stand by your vision and enjoy your work, and the worst was probably that I should become a lawyer.
W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?
AM: Believe in yourself and become as technical as possible so that no one can intimidate you.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
AM: There are so many to be honest. “Boys Don’t Cry” by Kimberly Peirce, “Ratcatcher” by Lynne Ramsay, “American Psycho” by Mary Harron. This past year “Toni Erdmann” by Maren Ade blew me away. I think what I love about those films is that they each have such a distinctive voice or vision.
W&H: There have been significant conversations over the last couple of years about increasing the amount of opportunities for women directors yet the numbers have not increased. Are you optimistic about the possibilities for change? Share any thoughts you might have on this topic.
AM: In my experience, women do have to work twice as hard to prove themselves in order to gain the limited opportunities available, but I’m optimistic about the future. I think that the more talented female directors like Kathryn Bigelow succeed within the male-dominated film genres, the more the industry will be forced to change.
