Artists Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty are notoriously publicity shy. What Time Is Death is the first documentary they have taken part in since 1995. It was around this time that they embarked on a 23-year moratorium, signed on a contract written on the side of a hire car & pushed off a cliff at Cape Wrath, Scotland, preventing them from working together or speaking about their burning of a million quid at the Isle of Jura in 1992.
That silence ended in 2016 with Welcome To The Dark Ages, a three-day event in Liverpool for 400 paying participants, including director Paul Duane. It was there that they launched their new incarnation, as 'undertakers to the underworld and custodians of the people’s pyramid', a visionary scheme that will take, they estimate, 34,952 bricks and three hundred years to complete.
Their partners in this venture – Claire and Rupert Callender of The Green Funeral Company, war photographer Paul Conroy, roadie and auteur director of film The K Foundation Burn a Million Quid Gimpo, conceptual architect and kimchi chef Paul Sullivan – are just some of the fascinating cast of characters in this rollercoaster ride of a film.
“Riotous” - Irish Times.
“A thoroughly entertaining, and at times emotional, investigation into an utterly unique passion project” - Film Ireland.
“An enthralling piece of work” - Sunday Business Post.
CREDITS
Director: Paul Duane
Producers: Nick Franco and Paul Duane
Executive producers: Andrew Starke
Camera: Eugene O’Connor, Torquil Fleming-Boyd, Ernie Pay, Duncan Telford, Alexandra Sneling
Editor: Eoin McDonagh
Music: Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs
Screenworks/1185 Films
Funded by The Arts Council Reel Art scheme