Slotfilm: INK

Is it news or entertainment? England, 1969. Australian businessman Rupert Murdoch (Guy Pearce) is in negotiations to buy the bankrupt British newspaper The Sun from its parent newspaper The Mirror. For the relaunch, he asks Larry Lamb to become editor-in-chief. Lamb (fantastically played by Jack O'Connell) is frustrated with his lack of progress in his career, including at The Mirror, and reluctantly accepts Murdoch's offer. But under Lamb, The Sun flourishes: with provocative articles and photos, it manages to attract more readers than any other newspaper. But when is something considered news? Does a newspaper have an ethical duty? And when is a news item no longer morally justified? The biographical drama film INK is not only about the newspaper magnate Rupert Murdoch, but shows the rise of the British tabloids and a media landscape that would never be the same again. It is the moment when something fundamental began to change: our view of news, of fake news, and the way we tell and consume these stories.

INK is the latest film from director Danny Boyle, who won a great variety of awards with his films, including Slumdog Millionaire, Transpotting, Steve Jobs and Yesterday. The screenplay of INK is by James Graham, who based it on his own play from 2017. The film had its world premiere as the opening film of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, where it was nominated for a Golden Lion. Jack O'Connell won several awards for his acting performance as Lamb, and the energetic soundtrack has received much praise as well. INK will only be released in Dutch cinemas in January, but can already be seen at the Northern Film Festival as the closing film of the 46th edition.