Fish Tank review

A thrilling family drama starring a first-time actress kicked-off the British campaign at the Cannes Film Festival today.

Fish Tank, directed by Andrea Arnold, focuses on an alienated Essex teenager and the disruptive effect her mother's new boyfriend has on their close family life.

The film stars Michael Fassbender, who won plaudits for his portrayal of Bobby Sands in Hunger at Cannes last year, alongside 17-year-old first-time actress Katie Jarvis, who was cast after being spotted arguing with her boyfriend at Tilbury station.

Arnold said she went for Jarvis after deciding she wanted a "real" person for the role. "I wanted a girl who would not have to act, could just be herself," she said.

After drawing a blank with casting agencies, Arnold spent time looking around youth clubs, markets and shopping centres around Essex before finding Jarvis at a station.

"She was on one platform arguing with her boyfriend on another platform, giving him grief," she said.

"[Filming] was an interesting experience for her, because she'd never done anything like this before in her life - she was not long out of school and hadn't yet done any form of work. Going on a film where she was up at five-six o'clock in the morning - and she's in every scene - was very intense for her."

Jarvis was not in Cannes for the film's launch today as she is at home in Tilbury after giving birth to daughter Lily-Mae last week.

Interviewed for the film's production notes, Jarvis said: "I learned a lot doing the film. Whereas before I was doing nothing all the time, it made me learn that I could do things if I wanted to do it.

"It was hard, but it was fun and rewarding. It shows you don't have to go to drama school to get into it, but I think I was one of a kind, I don't think anybody else will get picked off a train station."

Other UK films competing for the coveted Palme d'Or are Jane Campion's Bright Star and Ken Loach's Looking for Eric, which stars former Manchester United footballer Eric Cantona. The festival runs until May 24.

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