Broken English

How are cultural icons remembered? This question is foundational to the Ministry of Not Forgetting, the fictional new government department that generates this riveting hybrid film. Two ministry officials—played by Tilda Swinton and George MacKay—decide that in the case of singer Marianne Faithfull, there’s a lot to correct in the mythology surrounding her. The ministry seeks to restore recognition of Faithfull’s exceptional artistry which has been overshadowed by her reputation as Mick Jagger’s muse.

Faithfull herself was closely involved in the making of the film until shortly before her death in January 2025. Here, as she was throughout her life, she is decidedly outspoken. It is her idiosyncratic artistic choices that define this deeply intimate portrait of a life shaped by fame, tragedy, inspiration and the tabloid press.

There are supporting roles for musical collaborators such as Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, but first and foremost this is a portrait of the indomitable Marianne Faithfull, an uncompromising and charming rebel—even as she bids us farewell.