Make Up – Streaming on BBC iPlayer

Tom Grieve, Cinema Editor

30 October 2020 — 30 September 2021 Entrance is free — Visit now

Cornwall has seldom seemed eerier than in Make Up, the vivid first feature from director Claire Oakley. A coming-of-age tale of sexual awakening that borrows conventions from the psychological thriller, Make Up follows 18-year-old Ruth (Molly Windsor) as she joins her boyfriend Tom (Joseph Quinn) to work the offseason at a seaside holiday camp. Perched ominously amongst autumnal mist, the holiday chalets are placed above sand dunes overlooking the sea. The only people left on site are a few residents and a small staff of teenage workers responsible for maintenance and cleaning.

Oakley conjures an uneasy atmosphere as Ruth begins to find mysterious red hairs on her boyfriend’s clothes, and catches only snapped glimpses of the girl they might belong to. The couple have been together for three years, but there are signs of drift. Ruth finds herself lured towards Jade (Stefanie Martini), another worker on the site. While Tom supplies spaghetti sandwiches, Jade provides more sensual opportunities as she invites Ruth to smoke, drink and dance.

It is a curious, quietly economical film. Oakley blurs the edges of reality as Ruth experiences what could be lesbian visions, flashbacks or even premonitions — it’s all left unclear. These start off as almost violent intrusions, however by the films close, they have given way to literal fireworks. Make Up isn’t your typical tale of queer awakening, but it unfurls into something that, for a few momements at least, is genuinely mesmeric.

30 October 2020 — 30 September 2021 Entrance is free Visit now

Where to go near Make Up – Streaming on BBC iPlayer

Manchester
Restaurant
Fairfield Social Club

Launching in spring 2024, Fairfield Social Club is a multi-purpose site next to Angel Meadows Park in the Green Quarter.

Cumbria
Theatre
The Coro

Nestled in the heart of Ulverston, a rural market town on the fringes of the Lake District, stands The Coro —an esteemed historic hub for arts, culture, and entertainment

Cumbria
Shop
Sam Read Bookseller

Award-winning small bookshop in the Lake District. Est. by Sam Read in 1887. Run by Will Smith and Polly Atkin.

Restaurant
Capri

Capri serves up homely, family-style Italian food in North Yorkshire.

Manchester
Restaurant
Manchester Wine Tours

Manchester Wine Tours is a relaxed, fun wine tour, taking in four or five venues across three hours, plus six high-quality glasses of wine.

Sheffield
Shop
Juno Books

Friendly local queer and intersectional feminist bookshop in Sheffield. Visit for interesting fiction and non fiction books.

Restaurant
The Dusty Miller

Family friendly pub situated in the beautiful village of Mytholmroyd.

Winckley Square
Lancashire
Park
Winckley Square

Hosting a variety of year-round events, from guided walks to jazz evenings, Winckley Square is a Georgian square packed with history in Preston city centre.

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