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 her studies in literature and film, Aoife began her journey directing short films and music videos, winning a UKMVA for her breakout Open Eye Signal for Jon Hopkins and a nomination for Best International Short film for Italy, Texas at Raindance film festival. This led to opportunities collaborating with some of the world’s biggest musical acts, becoming a Vimeo Staff Pick Alumni and directing bold commercials which have promoted social equality and received awards at Cannes Lions, British Arrows, D&ADs and Clios. Equal Love for Absolut won the coveted Graphite Pencil for Best Direction at the D&AD Awards and Aoife has been repeatedly named in leading industry publications’ annual Best Director lists. 

Aoife’s wholly original and powerful debut feature Kissing Candice premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and emerged as a critics’ favourite. The summer of 2021 brought the premiere of McArdle’s short film and full-scale immersive art installation All of This Unreal Time, starring Cillian Murphy, at the Manchester International Festival. The film and installation 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”. 

2021 also saw Aoife’s continued work in television drama, directing and producing Severance for AppleTV+. The show stars Patricia Arquette, Adam Scott, John Turturro, and Christopher Walken and has received universal acclaim. 

A powerful voice with an arresting aesthetic, Aoife is currently developing her next feature film Monuments with BFI.