Film

LS Lowry: The Unheard Tapes

2026 · 59m · Documentary

IMDb

8.2

The story of the 'matchstick man' painter, one of Britain’s most beloved artists, revealed as never before through intimate and previously unheard hidden recordings. Recorded by a young fan, Angela Barratt, in 1972, the tapes uncover much about Lowry's life story and the changing north he captured in his iconic paintings. The voices in this film are real, lip-synced by actors Ian McKellen and Annabel Smith.

Ian McKellen

L S Lowry

Annabel Smith

Angela Barratt

L.S. Lowry

Self (voice) (archival)

Angela Barratt

Self (voice) (archival)

Verity Babbs

Self

Michael Barratt

Self

Joshua Fletcher

Self

Dr Michala Hulme

Self

Claire Stewart

Self

Jeanette Winterson

Self

Leslie Primo

Self

Stuart Maconie

Self

Rachel Fairburn

Self

Simon Marshall

Self

Michael Howard

Self

Tony Heaton

Self

• Peter SweaseyDirector
• James KentDirector
• Hannah MirskyProducer
• Morgana PughExecutive Producer

Release date

February 25, 2026

Status

Released

Original language

English

Runtime

59m

Rated

U

Genres

Documentary

• Voyage au Tibet Interdit

  2004

• Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga

  2009

• 

  My Father Was a Red Balloon: Albert Lamorisse's Life Story

  2008

• 

  Making Morning Star

  2015

• 

  Portrait of Alain Emery: The Child Who Did Not Know How to Smile

  2008

• The Disciple of Speed

  2008

• 

  Making of 'Battle Royale'

  2000

• 

  Cocteau's Dreams in Digital, The Story of Beauty and the Beast

  2013

• Za život radostný

  1951

• 

  Florent Pagny, la voix nue

  2021

• 

  An Evening With Richard Locke

  1992

• 

  The TikTok Effect

  2023