This film is part of Rentals
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_480x270/public/hero-images/chained-for-life-2.jpg?itok=6meDgMVw)
Chained for Life
Aaron Schimberg’s dextrous, darkly comedic discourse on physical difference makes you think about cinematic representation without offering simple resolutions.
Director: Aaron Schimberg
Overview
Aaron Schimberg’s impressive second feature is his response, as a filmmaker with facial deformity, to cinematic portrayals of disfigured people, from Freaks to The Elephant Man. Simultaneously empathetic and sardonic, Chained for Life’s multi-layered meta narrative casts Jess Weixler (Teeth) as Mabel, a well-intentioned Hollywood star. She takes the role of a blind woman in a hospital-based horror movie about abnormalities, directed by an egomaniacal German auteur. As shooting progresses, Mabel gradually falls for friendly British co-star Rosenthal, played by Under the Skin actor Adam Pearson, who has neurofibromatosis.
Writer-director Schimberg challenges you to think about representation and exploitation whilst refusing to offer up any simplistic answers, while also paying homage to previous film-within-a-film-practitioners from Fassbinder to the Muppets.
Related
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/Green-Border-01.jpg?itok=-YVcr1Za)
Green Border Green Border
Drama 2023 152 mins
Three-time Oscar-nominee Agnieszka Holland returns with a powerful, timely and unflinching exploration of the current migrant crisis.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/AHouseInJerusalem-01.jpg?itok=9SyTSTlz)
A House in Jerusalem A House in Jerusalem
Drama 2022 104 mins Director: Muayad Alayan
After moving from the UK to Jerusalem, young Rebecca strikes up a mysterious and an unlikely friendship, in this poignant tale of loss and longing.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/KIDNAPPED_02.jpg?itok=f015pyVD)
Kidnapped Kidnapped
Historical drama 2023 134 mins Director: Marco Bellocchio
This enthralling Italian historical drama depicts the kidnapping of a young Jewish boy, who is then sent to the Vatican to be converted to Christianity.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/Birthday_Girl_02.jpg?itok=xsdw_NB2)
Birthday Girl Birthday Girl
Drama 2023 95 mins Director: Michael Noer
Heart-pounding Danish drama about a mother’s desperate attempts to unmask her daughter’s attacker on board a cruise ship.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/Hoard_brighter.jpg?itok=VIJESLj5)
Hoard Hoard
Drama 2023 126 mins Director: Luna Carmoon
A young woman journeys through childhood trauma and emerging sexuality in this staggering drama from an exciting new voice in British cinema.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/mysterious-ways-01.jpg?itok=uUOPBsMj)
Mysterious Ways Mysterious Ways
Drama 2023 90 mins Director: Paul Oremland
Paul Oremland’s impassioned drama is a searing critique of the church’s attitude towards the LGBTQI+ community.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/Shoshana.jpg?itok=wGzyi-UW)
Shoshana Shoshana
Historical drama 2023 121 mins Director: Michael Winterbottom
A young Jewish woman’s relationship with a British policeman stationed in British Mandatory Palestine has lasting consequences for the region in Michael Winterbottom's powerful thriller.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/Red_Island_03.jpg?itok=18utnSaZ)
Red Island Red Island
Drama 2023 117 mins Director: Robin Campillo
French writer-director Robin Campillo offers a searching exploration of memory and politics, in this boldly conceived story of boyhood in 1970s Madagascar.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/TheTasteOfThings_04.jpg?itok=c_tDBMnA)
The Taste of Things The Taste of Things
Drama 2023 135 mins Director: Trân Anh Hûng
Tran Anh Hùng directs Juliette Binoche in this delicious culinary romance that leaves no crumbs. Winner of the best director award at Cannes.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/Origin-Of-Evil-01.jpg?itok=pCkyM5fW)
The Origin of Evil The Origin of Evil
Thriller 2022 123 mins Director: Sébastien Marnier
Laure Calamy stars in this devious, involving French thriller by Sébastien Marnier, playing an outsider tangled in a web of upper-class family malice.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/Nezouh.jpg?itok=dk3mqyZG)
Nezouh Nezouh
Drama 2024 104 mins Director: Soudade Kaadan
Enchanting feminist coming-of-age drama, from award winning Syrian director Soudade Kaadan.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/Copa71_05.jpg?itok=3-YzF6Yh)
Copa 71 Copa 71
Documentary 2023 90 mins Director: Rachel Ramsay and James Erskine
Buried for 50 years, this is the untold story of the 1971 Women’s World Cup – a tremendous, televised rollercoaster ride and a historic moment in football.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/Green-Border-01.jpg?itok=-YVcr1Za)
Green Border Green Border
Drama 2023 152 mins
Three-time Oscar-nominee Agnieszka Holland returns with a powerful, timely and unflinching exploration of the current migrant crisis.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/Our-River-our-sky-01.jpg?itok=p9xO8tL8)
Our River... Our Sky Our River... Our Sky
War 2021 118 mins Director: Maysoon Pachachi
A small Baghdad community searches for hope in the face of unpredictable violence, turmoil, and loss.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/LoveLiesBleeding-01_brighter.jpg?itok=Ji_gwS-r)
Love Lies Bleeding Love Lies Bleeding
Romance 2023 104 mins Director: Rose Glass
Rose Glass’s gripping and gory follow-up to Saint Maud finds a lesbian couple drawn into a web of violence in 1980s small-town New Mexico.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/sick-of-myself-01.jpeg?itok=6WYKe_5g)
Sick of Myself Sick of Myself
Comedy 2022 97 mins Director: Kristoffer Borgli
She just did what! Attention-seeking Signe will do anything to keep the focus on herself, in this wildly demented comedy.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/wilding-02.jpg?itok=AmImzKtl)
Wilding Wilding
Documentary 2023 75 mins Director: David Allen
A dying landscape is healed against all odds, going on to thrive in astonishing ways, in this hopeful story of ecological regeneration.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_32x18/public/hero-images/AHouseInJerusalem-01.jpg?itok=9SyTSTlz)
A House in Jerusalem A House in Jerusalem
Drama 2022 104 mins Director: Muayad Alayan
After moving from the UK to Jerusalem, young Rebecca strikes up a mysterious and an unlikely friendship, in this poignant tale of loss and longing.