The Monthly Interview: Burnermunde
From viral skits to a ruff-clad Wayne Rooney, the directing duo are intent on capturing contemporary Britain in all its gritty, glorious absurdity
Over the past 12 months, Burnermunde have emerged seemingly out of nowhere as one of the most hyped young directing duos in the UK, receiving acclaim for a handful of short films that combine social realism, observational documentary and early YouTube sketch comedy.
Their work is littered with the everyday detritus of urban Britain – Lime bikes, vape pens, smartphones lit up with TikTok reels and the like – as well as snatches of conversation overheard on the street, much of it unscripted. They shoot on MiniDV cameras, which suggests a penchant for Y2K nostalgia – but it might be more accurate to describe them as anti-nostalgic.
Indeed, for Arran Ashan and Mustafa Mohamoud, who formed Burnermunde at the end of 2023, the past is largely irrelevant. If they have a creative manifesto, it is to capture contemporary Britain exactly how they see it, with all its contradictions. The absurdity, the banality, the bleakness. “Whenever something feels too old school, it’s like, let’s find a way to make it feel more modern,” they say. “That’s a massive thing for us.”