Aoife McArdle

Aoife McArdle is an award-winning writer and director whose original concepts, bold visual style and uncompromising dedication to craft have brought her acclaim across a variety of mediums, with success in film, television drama, music videos and commercials. 

After studying literature and film, Aoife began her directing career with short films and music videos, gaining recognition with the UKMVA-winning “Open Eye Signal” for Jon Hopkins and a nomination for Best International Short Film for “Italy, Texas” at the Raindance Film Festival. These early successes led to collaborations with renowned musical acts, a spot in the Vimeo Staff Pick Alumni, and directing impactful commercials that championed social equality, earning awards at Cannes Lions, British Arrows, D&AD, and Clios. Her “Equal Love” spot for Absolut won the prestigious Graphite Pencil for Best Direction at the D&AD Awards, cementing her reputation as a visionary filmmaker in total command of her craft and leading to repeated appearances on industry best-director lists.

In the commercial world, Aoife has continued to redefine what’s possible in advertising. Most recently, her “Capture” spot for Apple earned widespread acclaim for its epic and innovative take on mobile filmmaking, seamlessly blending classic cinematic tropes with masterful craft. Her Squarespace Super Bowl commercial, “The Singularity” also swept last year’s awards season. Starring Adam Driver, the bold, cinematic and wry campaign received numerous ‘best of shows’, most notably the Grand Prix at CICLOPE, and awards from the ADC, AICP, and D&AD as well as a Cannes Lion for Film Craft and an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Commercial.

Aoife expanded her directing work to television with the critically acclaimed original series, Severance, for Apple TV+ starring Patricia Arquette, Adam Scott, John Turturro, and Christopher Walken. The show premiered to universal praise, receiving 14 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series, and earned Aoife a DGA nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement. Additionally, her wholly original and powerful debut feature Kissing Candice premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and emerged as a critics’ favourite. Her short film and full-scale immersive art installation All of This Unreal Time, starring Cillian Murphy, at the Manchester International Festival also received glowing reviews. The Guardian wrote, “Intense and all-encompassing, the piece never feels overdramatic or insincere. Its sense of despair is accompanied by a glorious, quiet celebration of the ordinary, the regular, the taken-for-granted”.

A powerful voice with an arresting aesthetic, Aoife continues to create deeply impactful and resonant films defined by her clarity of vision and uncompromising dedication to filmic excellence.