Make Me Up
In Make Me Up, multimedia artist Rachel Maclean has created a world that is both seductive and dangerous; a place where surveillance, violence and submission are a normalised part of daily life. She tackles these contradictions head-on and never balks at pushing boundaries.
This darkly-comic film takes a satirical look at the contradictory pressures faced by women today. It examines how television and social media can be fun and expressive spaces to explore identity, but simultaneously a gilded prison that encourages women to conform to strict beauty ideals.
Siri wakes to find herself trapped inside a brutalist candy-coloured dreamhouse. Despite the cutesy decor, the place is far from benign, and she and her inmates are encouraged to compete for survival while being watched over by surveillance cameras, 24/7.
Presiding over the group is an authoritarian diva who speaks entirely with the voice of Kenneth Clark from the 1960s BBC series Civilisation. As she forces the women to go head-to-head in a series of demeaning tasks, Siri, with the help of fellow inmate Alexa, starts subverting the rules and soon reveals the sinister truth that underpins their world.
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Rachel MacleanDirector, Writer, Designer, EditorDr Cute (2019, 5 min, digital video); Make Me Up (2018, 84 min); I'm Terribly Sorry (2018, ~6 min, VR) Spite Your Face (2017, 37 min, portrait format video); It's What's Inside That Counts (2016, 30 min, digital video); Feed Me (2015, 60 min, digital video); A Whole New World (2014, 30 min, digital video); Please, Sir... (2014, 25 min, looping split-screen video); The Weepers (2014, 30 min, digital video); Over The Rainbow (2013, 42 min, digital video); Germs (2013, 3 min, digital video); The Lion and The Unicorn (2012, 12 min, digital video); Lolcats (2012, 13 min, digital video)
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David LiddellCinematographer
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Scott TwynholmMusic
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Ayden MillarArt Director
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Jason HillierVFX Supervisor
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Carolynne Sinclair KiddLine Producer
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John ArcherProducer
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Angus FarqhuarProducer
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Sud BasuExecutive Producer
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Mark BellExecutive Producer
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Clara GlynnExecutive Producer
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David HarronExecutive Producer
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Mark ThomasExecutive Producer
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Jenny WaldmanExecutive Producer
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Rachel MacleanKey Cast"Figurehead"
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Christina GordonKey Cast"Siri"
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Colette TchantchoKey Cast"Alexa"
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Kirsty StrainKey Cast"Cortanna"
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Alice ZhangKey Cast"Erica"
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Jenny DouglasKey Cast"Sophia"
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Sanaa ZaheedKey Cast"Tay"
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Cressentia MasukuKey Cast"Dewey"
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Moyo AkandéKey Cast"Farrah"
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Catriona McFarlaneKey Cast"Maria"
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Kayleigh AndrewsKey Cast"Harmony"
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Stewart PrestonKey Cast"Tweed Man"
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Project Type:Experimental, Feature
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Genres:Sci-Fi, Drama, Comedy, Fiction
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Runtime:1 hour 24 minutes
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Completion Date:September 30, 2018
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Production Budget:505,000 GBP
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Country of Origin:United Kingdom
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Country of Filming:United Kingdom
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Montreal Festival du nouveau cinémaMontreal
Canada
October 10, 2019
Canadian Premiere
Official Selection -
New Horizons International Film FestivalWrocław
Poland
July 26, 2019
Poland Premiere
Visual Front -
Moscow International Experimental Film FestivalMoscow
Russian Federation
July 14, 2019
Russian Premiere
Closing Night Film -
IndieLisboa International Film FestivalLisbon
Portugal
May 3, 2019
Portugal Premiere
Mouth of Madness -
Göteborg Film FestivalGothenburg
Sweden
January 30, 2019
Sweden Premiere
Visionaries -
Rotterdam International Film FestivalRotterdam
Netherlands
January 29, 2019
Dutch Premiere
Perspectives - Rabbit Hole -
Adelaide Film FestivalAdelaide
Australia
October 14, 2018
Australian Premiere
A Singular Vision -
BFI London Film FestivalLondon
United Kingdom
October 12, 2018
World Premiere
Special Presentations
Distribution Information
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Antidote Sales LLCCountry: WorldwideRights: All Rights
Born 1987, Edinburgh. Lives and works in Glasgow.
Education 2005–09 BA Honours Drawing and Painting, Edinburgh College of Art, Scotland 2008 School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, USA.
Based in Glasgow, Rachel Maclean (1987) was educated at Edinburgh College of Art where she completed her BA in Drawing and Painting in 2009. In 2017, Rachel premiered her new film commission Spite Your Face, as the representing artist for Scotland+Venice at the 57th Venice Biennale 2017.
Maclean has risen to significant recent acclaim with major contemporary art commissions, resulting in solo UK and international presentations. With recent exhibitions including; ‘Just B Yourself’ at Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, Dublin (2018), ‘Wot u :-) about?’ at HOME, Manchester and Tate Britain, London (2016-17) 'We Want Data!' at Artpace, San Antonio, USA (2016).
Her work A Whole New World won the prestigious Margaret Tait Award in 2013, she has twice been shortlisted for the Jarman Award, and has achieved widespread critical praise for Feed Me (2016) in British Art Show 8.
Maclean has also been commissioned for TV and featuring on; Random Acts Channel 4 (2013 and 2016); 'Billy Connolly: Portrait of a Lifetime', BBC One Scotland, BBC (2017) and 'Rachel Maclean: The Shopping Centre, Artist in Residence', Bullring Birmingham with Firecrest Films and Channel 4 (2018).
Upcoming shows and commissions in 2018-2019 include; 'Rachel Maclean' Solo Exhibition at Zabludowicz Collection London, 'Hooked' at London Science Gallery, Kings College London, KWA Artscentre in Beijing, Rachel Maclean curated exhibition with Birmingham Museums and Arts Council Collection.