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The Arbor

United Kingdom

2010

88 Min
Color
English
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
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DIR Clio Barnard

EXEC Tabitha Jackson

PROD Tracy O'Riordan

DP Ole Bratt Birkeland

CAST Christine Bottomley, Neil Dudgeon, Robert Emms, Natalie Gavin, Manjinder Virk, Monica Dolan, George Costigan, Jimi Mistry, Andrea Dunbar, Andrew Dunbar, David Dunbar, Lorraine Dunbar, Pamela Dunbar, Danny Webb

ED Nick Fenton, Daniel Goddard

PROD DES Matthew Button

MUSIC Harry Escott, Molly Nyman

SOUND Tim Barker

Tribeca (World Cinema Documentary Competition), Karlovy Vary (Documentary Competition), London (New British Cinema): Best British Newcomer, Sutherland Award, Göteborg (Tibida), BAFICI (Cine del Futuro), San Francisco (Documentaries), Ghent (World Cinema)

Synopsis

Brilliantly blending the borders of narrative and documentary filmmaking, artist-cum-director Clio Barnard beautifully reconstructs the fascinating true story of troubled British playwright Andrea Dunbar and her tumultuous relationship with her daughter. Working from two years of audio interviews, Barnard uses classic documentary techniques, actors, theatrical performance, and Dunbar’s own neighborhood to generate a unique cinematic feast while unraveling the truths of a dark family past. —Tribeca Film Festival

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Annina

5Mar13

This was a heartbreaking documentary to watch, especially hearing the story of Andrea Dunbar's mixed-race daughter and her subsequent traumas. I appreciated the way it was put together, and being reminded of Andrea Dunbar's work through 'The Arbor'. A hard watch with all the unfolding family sagas.

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lolo341

2Sep12

The Telegraph U.K. rightly describes The Arbor as "a hall-of-mirrors tour through fact and fiction." Initially I was thrown by the lip-syncing, but I wound up appreciating the device as well as the actors. The use of archived footage and the staging of play in the neighborhood were also quite illuminating.

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Edward Copeland

19Jan12

Director Clio Barnard takes an unusual approach to this documentary about the British playwright Andrea Dunbar and her troubled children. Ultimately, it's all gimmick for a tale that's not that interesting. http://eddieonfilm.blogspot.com/2011/01/that-line-blurs-flurther.html

Picture of Michael Harbour

Michael Harbour

16Jan12

Interesting. Certainly an unusual way to make a film and it works surprisingly well but, really, I wasn't all that engaged most of the time. The scenes from the play "The Arbor" performed in the park were pretty cool, though.

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Articles

Our roundup of essays and articles on this film.
W184

"The Arbor" and More NYC Goings On

By David Hudson on April 27, 2011

 Melissa Anderson for Artforum: "After last year's glut of bumptious, high-profile nonfiction films — some of which were revealed

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W184

Movie Poster of the Week: "The Arbor"

By Adrian Curry on April 22, 2011

When I first saw Clio Barnard’s The Arbor a year ago at the Tribeca Film Festival I thought it was hands down the best film there

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W184

London Film Festival 2010. Week 1

By David Hudson on October 13, 2010

  Tell @MUBIdotcom @bfi which #LFF film inspires you & why. The best entries get two free tickets! See the lineup & get inspired

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W184

pages from a cold island: BRIGHT FUTURE?

By Neil Young on May 3, 2010

Above: Clio Bernard's The Arbor. An entirely subjective rundown of the 20+ most-anticipated British films scheduled to have their first public

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W184

Tribeca Film Festival 2010

By David Hudson on April 21, 2010

Few events raise questions as to what films festivals are, really, what they're for, who they're for and what they could and should be

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The Arbor

By Kenji on March 15, 2011

I was expecting a pleasant relaxing summery film full of flowers and Laura Ashley dresses. Instead here’s a part documentary, part acted and lip synched account of life on a tough council estate in…  read review

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The Arbor

3 posts by 2 people over 2 years ago