19-year-old Iris grapples with the unexpected death of her mother. Unable to cope with the loss, she struggles under the weight of her own destructive behaviour.
In this intimate exploration of a young woman’s relationship with her mother and sister, things are going badly for Iris (Samantha Morton); her mother (Rita Tushingham) has been given only weeks to live and she feels increasingly distant from her happily married and heavily pregnant older sister Rose (Claire Rushbrook). Unable to deal with her grief and jealousy, Iris ditches her job, her flat and her boyfriend and prowls the streets looking for love in all the wrong places.
“A frank, fearless film from a director still carving out her place in the British tradition.” – Independent on Sunday
- Director: Carine Adler
- Cast: Samantha Morton, Claire Rushbrook, Rita Tushingham
- Language: English
Northern Soul—Clio Barnard curates a special season at Pictureville dedicated to northern female filmmaking.
Northern Soul is a celebration of northern women in cinema—as writers, directors, producers, characters and trailblazers. Presented at Pictureville, the season is curated for Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture by Clio Barnard, the West Yorkshire-raised writer-director of The Arbor, centred on Bradford writer Andrea Dunbar, The Selfish Giant and Ali & Ava.
The selections in Northern Soul span six decades, from a 60s British New Wave classic to the latest feature from one of our most exciting directors. They transport us everywhere from the Yorkshire Moors to the Wigan Casino, Blackpool Beach to the North East. And together, they showcase the diversity of perspective, experience and imagination that defines the northern female voice in film.
Northern Soul is part of Bradford: A City of Film, a programme of independent film across the Bradford District. Co-Produced by Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and National Science and Media Museum with the support of the BFI, awarding funds from the National Lottery.
Age Guidance
18
