The world of fashion and film merged for one night on Tuesday when Nocturnal Animals premiered in the Lighthouse cinema, Smithfield. The film itself was directed by the world renowned designer Tom Ford. Having been the creative director of both Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, along with having his own eponymous label, Ford now turns his attention and talent once again to film.
Following his first critically acclaimed film The Single Man, this is the second to be directed by Ford. The film follows Amy Adams as an art dealer and her often turbulent relationship with her ex husband, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. The narrative comes to a head when she receives a draft of his novel. The subject of the novel appears to be fiction while also shares unsettling similarities to the couple’s marriage. Reminiscent of Atonement in both structure and atmosphere, the film’s final scene features Adams in a green dress. A dress which rivals that of Knightly in the 2007 wartime film for its elegance and lingering imprint in the mind log after the film ends.
The Lighthouse, a common venue for Irish premieres, lends itself as an ideal space for people to gather and network over drinks. With large open space, communal areas and bar, the Lighthouse creates a buzz that is a treat for guests. The long and narrow entrance looks seemingly created for the sole purpose of having a red carpet fitted for premieres. The red carpet that saw some of Dublin’s biggest and most recognisable faces in attendance on the night. From Rory O’Neill, better known as Drag Queen Panti Bliss, to the Repeal Project’s Anna Cosgrave alongside snap-chatters, journalists and TV personalities.
The event itself was put on by Universal Pictures Ireland in association with fafinder and presented by designer duo Brendan Courtney and Sonya Lennon. In their pre-viewing introduction, Courtney went as far to say that the film was in his top five favourites of all time. The film, however, left many wanting more. Those in attendance were eager to tell their thoughts to promotional videographers on the way out, calling the film “awesome, gripping, gritty” and “intense”, others adding that “every shot was like a postcard”. The emphasis on the cinematography and the beauty of the film is something that any fashion forward onlooker would not be surprised by, especially given Ford’s creative brilliance and the night’s connection to the fashion industry. Some might argue, like all cultural and creative industries, that the two worlds are closely intertwined, as Michael Kors once suggested “Clothes are like a good meal, a good movie, great pieces of music.”
The film is set for general Irish release from 4th November in cinemas across the country.
