“To receive a script where you don’t know what’s going to happen next is exhilarating”: Sid Phoenix on All Is Vanity

All Is Vanity is the feature debut from Argentinian director Marcos Mereles which melds genres to form a satirical comedy with an experimental, surreal edge. Ostensibly it takes as its premise a photo shoot in a London warehouse studio following archetypal characters from the arts and fashion industry – the photographer, the assistant, the model, the make-up artist – but before long, things start to go awry. When one of the crew goes missing, it becomes clear all is not what it seems, and the plot within a plot meta-narrative causes the film to begin to cave in on itself.

The Upcoming sat down with the movie’s star, Sid Phoenix, to discuss the glorious quirkiness of the script, how the Argentinian director was able to capture the nuances of British culture and dialogue despite it being his first English language work, and the fun of filming in the distinctive hipster warehouse – which became a character in its own right – with his fellow ensemble cast, including Yaseen Aroussi, Isabelle Bonfrer and Rosie Steel.

We also discussed developing the arrogant persona of his “The Photographer” character and how the story knowingly pokes fun at the pretension of the arts world, creative types and the creative process itself. Phoenix further reflected on his career in big productions as well as indie flicks, including working with the iconic Meryl Streep on Stephen Frears’s Florence Foster Jenkins, plus the contrast between working on stage and in front of the camera.

Sarah Bradbury

All Is Vanity is released in select cinemas on 14^th October 2022. Read our review of the film here.

Watch a clip from All Is Vanity here: