Marianne Faithfull is a much-misunderstood icon. Broken English, this documentary to set the record straight, made near the end of her life by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard, also features myriad stars of music and film.
Old Faithfull sets the record straight
by Alexa DalbyCAUTION: Here be spoilers
Instead of the conventional talking heads, this documentary has the brilliant idea of showing its subject clips of her interviews (UK and worldwide) and performances (Ophelia) and watching her reactions. It is presented by the Ministry of Not Forgetting – “What we’re after is memories. What we’re hoping for is resonance.” They got it.
While it is sad to see a sweary Marianne Faithfull now in a wheelchair and needing oxygen, this comes across as moving and not exploitative because she is still searingly honest in her replies to questions.
Broken English is an apposite title for the film. It is also the title of the seminal album which represented her change as an artist from a vulnerable waif to an outspoken disruptor: “It felt as if I was finally doing something for myself that was very important…” Fighting misogyny.
A must-see, whenever you were born. Especially if you are human. And can cry. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
Broken English premiered at Venice, screened at the BFI London Film Festival and is released on 20 March 2026 in the UK and Ireland.
BARBICAN FILM PREVIEW + LIVE CONCERT (SOLD OUT) TO BE LIVE STREAMED IN CINEMAS NATIONWIDE ON 18 MARCH | INFO & TICKETS
WITH LIVE PERFORMANCES BY ANNA CALVI, JARVIS COCKER, SAMANTHA MORTON, BETH ORTON AND RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
ED HARCOURT, ANNA PHOEBE + ADRIAN UTLEY (PORTISHEAD)
FEATURING IAIN FORSYTH & JANE POLLARD AND BETH ORTON
EVERYMAN SCREEN ON THE GREEN | | 12 MARCH | TICKETS HERE
VUE LUMIÈRE and the BARBICAN announce that the SOLD OUT film preview and live concert event for BROKEN ENGLISH, taking place in the Barbican Hall on Wednesday 18 March, will now be live-streamed to cinemas nationwide, ahead of its UK & Irish theatrical release on 20 March.
BROKEN ENGLISH is a never seen before career-spanning portrait of the late Marianne Faithfull, directed by BAFTA nominees Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard (20,000 Days on Earth). The brand new trailer for the film is available to view HERE.
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, including 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 led by MD Rob Ellis (PJ Harvey) and featuring Colin Greenwood (Radiohead), Ed Harcourt, Anna Phoebe and Adrian Utley (Portishead).
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 to join Bowman for an evening of conversation, music, and storytelling, taking the audience behind the scenes of Broken English, exploring the film’s creative process and musical influences. The event will be recorded live and released on the Soundtracking Podcast this spring.
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. A genre-defying portrait of resilience and rebellion, a final fearless declaration, Marianne Faithfull’s defiant swan song.
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’ rendered through a deeply intimate tapestry of interviews, archival footage, and soundscapes.
In addition to her 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 include Zawe Ashton (The Marvels), Calvin Demba (Supacell), and Sophia Di Martino (Loki).
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.
Receiving its World Premiere (Official Selection Out-of-Competition) at Venice International Film Festival 2025, UK Premiere at the 69th BFI London Film Festival, North American Premiere at Sundance Film Festival and recent sell-out screenings at IDFA 2025, the film will also screen at Glasgow Film Festival and Dublin International Film Festival this Spring, ahead of its UK & Ireland release.
