Shannon Goodfellow puts powerful Arts Council-funded documentary Amanda in the frame at Docs Ireland.
A pen glides across a canvas in thick, intersecting lines; free-flowing with no distinguishable pattern. In this fluid, overhead opening shot, audiences are invited to play a part in the creation of another interpretive work from Irish artist Amanda Cullen. José Miguel Jiménez’s first feature-length documentary captures Amanda’s creative process, using her art as an emotional outlet and as a means of processing years of abuse, struggle and institutional oppression sanctioned by the Church of Ireland. In an immersive exploration of her artistic process, Amanda balances her quest for acknowledgment and justice with the vulnerability of sharing her transformative story.
The subject matter is weighty, but Amanda’s openness, honesty and pensive philosophy mean that the film never falls into a tone of despair. The film is kinetic. Despite mostly taking place in limited spaces such as an empty rooftop or in her solitary studio, Amanda often plays diegetic electronic dance music as she dances with a sense of freedom. Movement releases pent-up energy and tension, followed by a frantic urgency to create and express. The canvas becomes an extension of herself to avoid complete internalisation. While the camera typically remains steady or handheld while observing Amanda in these states, the approach to filming her craft is in complete contrast.
These examinations of her work are tranquil and meditative interludes, often appearing as facets of Amanda’s past are slowly revealed and unravelled. Amanda’s straightforward recounting of harrowing events is paired with the complex artworks which represent them. In extreme, panning close-ups of vast canvases backed by a hypnotic and calming soundscape, every colour, texture and intricacy on the canvas is examined and highlighted. Amanda herself comments that the camera adds a new dimension to her practice. It illuminates details in the colour of her fluorescent paint, adding new layers to her mystifying pieces of work. The cinematography in these sections is as experimental as the art it is depicting, perfectly capturing Amanda’s bold and uniquely instinctive style.
Amanda’s relationship and rapport with director José Miguel Jiménez is palpable. The pair are two artists in constant dialogue with one another, an interweaving of painting and filmmaking. Amanda often speaks directly to José, even taking his camera to film him as a subject, making him an active participant in Amanda’s creative process. This approach reinforces that Amanda is very much in control of her own narrative while recalling moments in which she was previously stifled.
Jiménez’s moving documentary crafts an introspective celebration of an artist on her own terms. Amanda’s clear and eloquent voice confronts the structures that have silenced her, a David and Goliath struggle for accountability from the almost impenetrable institutions of Church and State. While this quest for peace is non-linear and faced with multiple setbacks, resolute perseverance and hope ultimately prevail.
Amanda screened on 27th June 2025 as part of Docs Ireland.
