Lily Newmark, Joanna Scanlan, Loris Scarpa
British writer-director Deborah Haywood’s (Twinkle, Twinkle) first feature Pin Cushion tells the story of a wickedly unique mother-daughter duo and how growing older might not mean growing up.
Iona (played brilliantly by Lily Newmark) moves to a Midlands town with her eccentric single mum Lyn (Joanna Scanlan in top form). Determined to fit in with the cool crowd, she quickly befriends a group of local girls while Lyn, used to being her daughter’s best friend herself, feels left out and befriends their neighbour. As much as they pretend to each other things are going great, they both struggle with their newfound ‘frenemies’ and start retreating further into their own quirky fantasy worlds.
Having opened the acclaimed Critics’ Week programme at Venice before heading over to Rotterdam International Film Festival, BIFA-nominated Haywood’s Pin Cushion has already been praised to match the sly and thought-provoking works of Todd Solondz.
