kviff.com
News
Festival Guide
  • Tickets and Festival Pass
  • Accommodations
  • Transportation
  • Festival cinemas
  • No Barriers project
  • Kids at the festival
  • Festival Shop
Program
  • Catalogue of films
  • Accompanying programme
  • Archive of films
  • Audience award
  • KVIFF Talks
  • Film Entry
Film Industry
  • Industry accreditation
  • Film Industry at KVIFF
  • Industry Days Programme
  • KVIFF Eastern Promises
  • KVIFF Talents
Press
  • Press accreditation
  • Press Service
  • For download
  • Press releases
  • Photogallery
  • Videogallery
About the festival
  • Festival description
  • Programme sections
  • Awards
  • History
  • We support non-profits
  • Photogallery
  • Partners
  • Why We Support the Festival
  • Contacts
CZ
Sign in
Film Archive

Edward II

Out of the Past 2014 / Edward II / United Kingdom 1991

Edward II ascends the English throne and shows favour towards nobleman Piers Gaveston, casting his wife aside. The aggrieved Queen Isabella decides to do something about it. The cast is costumed in modern attire and Annie Lennox sings a song of farewell in this postmodern adaptation of the stage play by Christopher Marlowe, which demonstrates that past and present have a lot in common.

Edward II Edward II

Synopsis

It is 1307 and England is now ruled by King Edward II. He appoints Piers Gaveston as his closest adviser and the pair become lovers. Queen Isabella finds herself removed not only from the royal bed, but also from the power she might also have held as the sovereign’s wife. She joins forces with Roger Mortimer to have Gaveston removed through some elaborate intrigue.… Adapted from the stage play of the same name by Christopher Marlowe (1593), Edward II is exceptional for its portrayal of the relationship between the two men, which was unusually candid for the time. Director Jarman’s treatment remains faithful to the language of Elizabethan theatre, however, he transferred the plot of the play to the stark interiors of empty film studios, dressed his actors in modern costumes and had Annie Lennox sing the lovers’ farewell. The postmodern conception of the play thus uniquely reflects Great Britain in the early 1990s. The film will be screened in its digitally restored version to mark the 20th anniversary of Jarman’s death.

About the film

90 min / Color, DCP

Director Derek Jarman / Screenplay Derek Jarman, Stephen McBride, Ken Butler podle divadelní hry / based on the play by Christopher Marlowe / Dir. of Photography Ian Wilson / Music Simon Fisher Turner / Editor George Akers / Producer Steve Clark-Hall, Antony Root / Production Working Title Films Ltd / Cast Steven Waddington, Tilda Swinton, Andrew Tiernan, Annie Lennox / Contact The Works Film Group

About the director

Derek Jarman

Derek Jarman (b. 1942, Northwood, United Kingdom – 1994, London) studied at the Slade School of Fine Art and subsequently worked with Ken Russell on the film The Devils (1971); he also began making his first shorts on Super-8 during this period. His feature debut Sebastiane (1976) drew recognition as the first British film to openly deal with gay issues. His next film Jubilee (1978) entered the annals of British cinema as the industry’s first punk movie. His unconventional adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest (1979) distanced traditionalist critics; he later earned respect as a filmmaker with Caravaggio (1986), which won a special award for its visual qualities at the 36th Berlinale. While shooting The Garden (1990) Jarman began to show the first symptoms of AIDS; he died of the disease four years later.

Contacts

The Works Film Group
5th Floor, Fairgate House, 78 New Oxford Street, WC1A 1HB, London
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 207 612 1080
Fax: +44 207 612 1081
E-mail: [email protected]

Guests

Clare Crean
Sales Agent

Other partners
Newsletter

First-hand brews throughout the year.
Be among the first to learn about upcoming events and other news. We only send the newsletter when we have something to say.

Follow us on the web:

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
is part of the KVIFF Group family, which covers other projects as well:

© 2025 KVIFF GROUP

Rules for Visitors / Website visitors privacy policy / GTC / Personal Data Protection / Rules for Claim / Rules and Regulations / Contacts