The Arbor 13 years old

A Documentary Re-Invented

The Arbor

Portrayal of the late Bradford playwright Andrea Dunbar. Andrea Dunbar wrote honestly and unflinchingly about her upbringing on the notorious Buttershaw Estate in Bradford and was described as ‘a genius straight from the slums.’ When she died tragically at the age of 29 in 1990, Lorraine was just ten years old. The Arbor revisits the Buttershaw Estate where Dunbar grew up, thirty years on from her original play, telling the powerful true story of the playwright and her daughter Lorraine. Also aged 29, Lorraine had become ostracised from her mother’s family and was in prison undergoing rehab. Re-introduced to her mother’s plays and letters, the film follows Lorraine’s personal journey as she reflects on her own life and begins to understand the struggles her mother faced.

Credits

The Arbor Cast

Name Character
Kulvinder Ghir He was 45, now 58 years old as Rafee
Danny Webb He was 52, 25 years old when he died as Max Stafford-Clark / The Father
Jimi Mistry He was 38, now 51 years old as Yousaf
Christine Bottomley She was 32, now 44 years old as Lisa Thompson
Neil Dudgeon He was 50, now 63 years old as Steve Saul
Monica Dolan She was 41, now 55 years old as Ann Hamilton
Manjinder Virk She was 35, now 49 years old as Lorraine Dunbar
Matthew McNulty He was 28, now 41 years old as Andrew Dunbar
Robert Haythorne He was 194, 75 years old when he died as Fred
Kate Rutter as The Mother
Robert Emms He was 24, now 37 years old as Young David
Kathryn Pogson She was 56, now 70 years old as Pamela Dunbar
George Costigan He was 63, now 76 years old as Jimmy 'The Wig'

The Arbor Crew

Name Department
Clio Barnard as Director. She was 57 (now 71) years old Directing
The Arbor poster
The Arbor (13 years)

A Documentary Re-Invented

  • Release day: Friday, October 22, 2010
  • Runtime: 94 minutes
  • Revenue: 21268.00