Carol Morley and Cairo Cannon are a producer/director team responsible for Dreams of a Life, the critically acclaimed docu-drama that tells the story of Joyce Vincent, a 38 year old woman who died alone in a bedsit, whose body wasn’t discovered for three years.

The story of Joyce’s demise ran globally, and papers reported a host of macabre and mysterious circumstances surrounding her death. According to reports, the television was still on when authorities forced entry into the property, which was littered with 3 years worth of mail.

The British press ran the story for a while, but still there were no photos of Joyce, and very little personal information about her. The story gradually disappeared from the news, and the internet chatrooms that were once so full of speculation about Joyce and the circumstances of her death began to go quiet. Joyce seemed to be disappearing for a second time, and it was at this point, director Carol Morley reports, that she decided she must make a film about her.

The resulting film, Dreams of a Life, was funded by FilmFour, the Irish Film Board, and the UK Film Council, and is probably the most comprehensive account of Joyce’s life on record to date. The film contains all the information Morley unearthed about Joyce, as well as interviews from people that knew her.

In this talk, Watershed’s Head of Programme Mark Cosgrove, speaks to Carol and her producer Cairo Cannon, who discuss their long partnership as CAMP (Cannon and Morley Productions), and share experiences of working in their respective fields. In addition to discussing Dreams of a Life, they also discuss their previous productions (The Alcohol Years, Edge) and answer audience questions.

Carol Morley is a director who came to prominence with The Alcohol Years, a BAFTA-nominated, Grierson-awarded film that met critical acclaim when it was released on DVD. Morley's first narrative feature, Edge, was premiered at the 54th London Film Festival.

Cairo Cannon has a long relationship with Carol, producing the award-winning feature documentary, The Alcohol years. Cairo has produced work for the BBC, Channel 4, ACE Visual Arts, Arts Council Lottery and the London Production Fund. 

Related Links:
Dreams of a Life
Joyce Carol Vincent: How could this young woman lie dead and undiscovered for almost three years?

 

 

Posted on Sat 17 Dec 2011.

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