Still Life

"A rare thing"

2013 1h 32m EN

🙌

7.5

BANGER

★7.5TMDB · 417

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A council case worker looks for the relatives of those found dead and alone.

“A rare thing”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

YouTubeRent

Amazon VideoBuy

Apple TV StoreBuy

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Cast

Eddie Marsan
John May
Joanne Froggatt
Kelly Stoke
Karen Drury
Mary
Andrew Buchan
Mr Pratchett
Neil D'Souza
Shakthi
Tim Potter
Homeless Man
Michael Elkin
Caretaker
Paul Anderson
Homeless Man

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Uberto Pasolini
Writers: Uberto Pasolini
Languages: English
Countries: Italy, United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 13 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Italy, United Kingdom.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Uberto Pasolini, shot by Stefano Falivene. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Rachel Portman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Gavin Buckley shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Eddie Marsan and Joanne Froggatt and Karen Drury carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "A rare thing".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt2395417 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Uberto Pasolini directs. Stefano Falivene behind the camera. Rachel Portman scores. Gavin Buckley cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Italy, United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 13 years ago.
2International production across 2 countries: Italy, United Kingdom.
3Directed by Uberto Pasolini, shot by Stefano Falivene. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Rachel Portman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Gavin Buckley shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Eddie Marsan and Joanne Froggatt and Karen Drury carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "A rare thing".
8IMDB entry: tt2395417 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 8 themes, including "alone", "loneliness", "death", "forgotten".

The technical file

Cinematography: Stefano Falivene
Original score: Rachel Portman
Editing: Gavin Buckley
Production design: Lisa Hall
Costume design: Pam Downe
Makeup / hair: Karen Finch
Runtime: 92 min · 1h 32m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: Still Life (2013)

Also by

Uberto Pasolini

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2025-01-30
★ 7/10
Eddie Marsan is on good form in this sensitive drama about council worker "May". He is tasked with dealing with the affairs of those people who die without a family. He's a meticulous chap, fastidious even, and he takes great care to investigate as thoroughly as he can trying to find someone to take possession of their heirlooms and to attend the rudimentary cremation that the local borough provides. He is midway through the case of "Billy Stoke" when he is informed that he is to be made redundant. Instead of just packing up, though, he asks for some extra time to try and piece together the jigsaw puzzle left by this man - and that sees him travel to meet "Kelly" (Joanne Froggatt) - his long estranged daughter. As with so many of the stories contained here, we hear a tale of neglect and abuse followed by a long period of non-contact, and Marsan plays his part delicately as he allows his character to provide a poignant conduit for relatives to think on their best and final course of action at a time when maybe grudges are best forgotten. There's an honesty to this because they aren't always - there are no rose-tinted windows here, especially at the end (which I have to say, the irony of which I simply didn't like). This film serves to put many things into perspective and might be something that could give folks whose family's are no longer part of their lives a chance to consider getting letting bygones be bygones. There is something poignant about the only mourner at a funeral being an official doing a day's work! It's an interesting investment vehicle for RAI too, garnering a David nomination but nothing at all from BAFTA.

Production companies