VUE Lumière Reveals The New Trailer For Broken English And Announces The Barbican Film Preview And The Sold Out Live Concert Will Be Live Streamed In Cinemas
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Carl Roberts 
The Genre-defying portrait of Marianne Faithfull, Broken English, gets a brand-new trailer from VUE Lumière. Take a look at the trailer here.
VUE LUMIÈRE and the BARBICAN are excited to announce that the sold-out film preview and live concert event for BROKEN ENGLISH, scheduled for Wednesday, 18 March, will be live-streamed to cinemas nationwide. This happens ahead of its UK & Irish theatrical release on 20 March.
BROKEN ENGLISH is a never-before-seen career-spanning portrait of the late Marianne Faithfull, directed by BAFTA nominees Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard (20,000 Days on Earth).
Following a preview screening of the critically acclaimed film, the event will see celebrated musicians and performers take to the stage to cover Faithfull’s songs. The performers include Jarvis Cocker, Beth Orton, Anna Calvi and Rufus Wainwright. The Academy Award-nominated actor Samantha Morton will read a poem from Marianne Faithfull’s album ‘She Walks in Beauty’.
The exceptional line-up of singers will be backed by the film’s house band. The band is led by MD Rob Ellis (PJ Harvey) and features Colin Greenwood (Radiohead), Ed Harcourt, Anna Phoebe and Adrian Utley (Portishead).
AHEAD OF THE EVENT
Ahead of this event, a preview of the film takes place at Everyman Screen on Green on Thursday, 12 March in partnership with Soundtracking with Edith Bowman. Filmmakers Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard, and musician Beth Orton, will join Bowman for an evening of conversation, music, and storytelling. They will take the audience behind the scenes of Broken English. In addition, they will explore the film’s creative process and musical influences. The event will be recorded live and released on the Soundtracking Podcast this spring.
ABOUT THE FILM
Broken English is a brand-new, career-spanning look at the late Marianne Faithfull. The film is directed by BAFTA nominees Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard, who are recognised for their work on 20,000 Days on Earth. It announces its North American premiere in the ‘Spotlight’ strand of the Sundance Film Festival 2026. The festival runs from January 22 to February 1, 2026. This follows its Venice International Film Festival World Premiere. It was in the Official Selection Out-of-Competition. There was also a UK Premiere at the 69th BFI London Film Festival. Additionally, there were recent sell-out screenings at IDFA 2025.
Following the US festival premiere announcement, UK distributor Vue Lumière has set its UK and Ireland theatrical release date for 20 March 2026.
PREMISE
A lightning rod for fame, scandal, and reinvention, Marianne Faithfull was more than just a muse. She was the face of a generation, and the voice that cut through it. Vilified by the press, underestimated by the industry, she endured heartbreak and addiction, yet never lost her edge or her truth, releasing over 35 albums while constantly reinventing herself.
Made with her full support, Broken English is an intimate and unflinching exploration of a fractured yet unbreakable life shaped by fame, creative genius and relentless public scrutiny. It is a genre-defying portrait of resilience and rebellion. Above all, it is a final fearless declaration, Marianne Faithfull’s defiant swan song.
CAST
With a cast led by Tilda Swinton (The Room Next Door, Asteroid City) and George MacKay (Cry To Heaven, Femme, 1917), the film follows the pair as they take on the roles of investigators within the framework of ‘The Ministry of Not Forgetting’, a poetic construct committed to rescuing cultural memory from oblivion. Faithfull becomes its first ‘subject’. She comes to life through a rich tapestry of intimate interviews, archival footage, and soundscapes.
In addition to Marianne Faithfull’s last recorded performance, Broken English showcases intimate contributions from her friends and longtime collaborators, including Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, Courtney Love, Suki Waterhouse, Beth Orton, and Jehnny Beth. Additional cast includes Zawe Ashton (The Marvels), Calvin Demba (Supacell), and Sophia Di Martino (Loki).
BEHIND THE SCENES
Beth Earl of Rustic Canyon Pictures produces Broken English. The film’s executive producers include Thomas Benski. Marisa Clifford, Isabel Davies, Tim O’Shea (Magna Studios), Marc Robinson (Globe Originals), Julia Xu (Q&A Entertainment) and Victoria Steventon.
Cold Iron Pictures’ Miranda Bailey and Julia Stier co-executive produce. Oliver Hsu, Jennifer Lin, Cristina Ljungberg, Tien-Tsung Ma, Stuart Souter and Alvin Wang are co-executive producers. Liam Coutts and Laura Rees are co-producers. Kate Griffiths, Mike Griffiths and Tess McNally-Watson are the archive producers on the project. Global Constellation is handling international sales.
Broken English opens in the UK and Ireland on March 20th, 2026.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
