The Extraordinary Miss Flower gets a new trailer

BFI Distribution releases today the trailer for The Extraordinary Miss Flower. Following its UK premiere in Official Competition at the BFI London Film Festival 2024, this spellbinding biographical performance film, directed by filmmakers and artists Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard (20,000 Days on Earth) and starring Emilíana Torrini alongside Caroline Catz will be released in cinemas in the UK and Ireland on 9 May 2025. The film recently screened at both the Dublin International Film Festival and the Glasgow Film Festival.

The Extraordinary Miss Flower brings to life the remarkable story of Geraldine Flower and the discovery, after her death, of a suitcase full of passionate, heartfelt letters of love sent to her in the 60s and 70s that inspired acclaimed Icelandic singer/songwriter Emilíana Torrini to return to the studio and record an entire album of new songs, Miss Flower (Grönland Records), released last summer.

Part film, part theatre, part fever dream, The Extraordinary Miss Flower takes the form of a series of specially designed performances by Emilíana and her band, combined with dramatic scenes and readings from the letters by well-known actors and musicians. It is a collaborative and captivating creative response to an incredible story.

As well as performing ten songs, Emilíana Torrini acts for the first time — alongside Caroline Catz (Delia Derbyshire: The Myths and Legendary Tapes) as ‘Miss Flower’. The film also features Nick Cave, Richard Ayoade, Alice Lowe, Siggi Baldursson, Mark Monero, Niall Murphy and Angus Sampson in supporting roles, plus the voice of singer-songwriter Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Choreographer Kate Coyne (formally Michael Clark company) performs alongside Viva Seifert and Saeed Esmaeli. The band is Simon Byrt, Mara Carlyle, Liam Hutton, Ian Kellett and Lovisa Sigrunardottir.

Directors Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard have worked collaboratively as artists and filmmakers since meeting at Goldsmiths in the mid-nineties. Their BAFTA-nominated debut feature, 20,000 Days on Earth, is a creative documentary about Nick Cave. Iain and Jane have been telling stories about music and with musicians for their entire career, working with artists including Scott Walker and Gil Scott-Heron. Their recent performance films include Live from the Centre of the Earth made during lockdown with Jarvis Cocker and Deep England, a unique collaboration between Gazelle Twin and the electronic drone choir, NYX.

Emilíana Torrini is an Icelandic / Italian singer and songwriter who has been releasing music and touring for over twenty years, Miss Flower is her fifth solo album and came out to critical acclaim in summer 2024, following previous albums Love in the Time of Science, Fisherman’s Woman, Me and Armini and Tookah. 

The Extraordinary Miss Flower, a Distiller Studios Production in association with Anti-Worlds and Phantoscopic, is backed by Distiller Music, and was shot at Distillery II studio, near Bristol. Produced by Zoe Flower and co-produced by Andy Starke, executive producers are Sam Dyson with Ben Wheatley, Beth Earl and Anna Hildur Hildibrandsdottir.

On the opening night, Friday 9 May, the 6.15pm screening at BFI Southbank in NFT1 will be followed by a Q&A with directors Ian Forsyth and Jane Pollard, actor Caroline Catz and singer-songwriter Emilíana Torrini + live performance by Emilíana Torrini. Tickets are on sale now www.bfi.org.uk