While poverty, unfair benefits systems and homelessness are amongst the issues thousands of Brits face daily, they are often difficult topics to tackle. But what if cinemas could become community builders? Instead of acting as money-making machines for box-office hit-makers, cinemas could help foster a sense of social cohesion and support for those in need.
A Different Kind of Cinema
Ken Loach (I, Daniel Blake, The Old Oak) is an award-winning producer of social realism films, a genre that highlights and explores the suffering of the disadvantaged. In an interview with Red Pepper, he raised an interesting point about European cinema: ‘The Europeans, particularly the French and the Italians, have a different view of cinema,’ he argues. ‘It’s taken more seriously. It’s a much wider view of what cinema can do.‘
Could this European approach to cinema be what Britain needs? Scroll through the list of movies at your local cinema house and you’re likely to find a monoculture of American-made slashers, superhero movies and rom-coms. Loach argues that our industry is ‘colonised’ by such content, which to a large extent appears true. The top 15 films as shown by the Film Distributor’s Association are mostly produced by American conglomerates, and there is very little thought-provoking content amongst these titles.
Some Much-Needed Social Realism
Bringing meaningful, socially realistic, cinema to our screens could trigger a positive cultural shift. Take Loch’s 2016 I, Daniel Blake, a film that is studied in many Media Studies classes as a prime example of what social realism is. It explores the story of a heart attack survivor desperately struggling against the welfare system to claim benefits after he is pronounced unfit to work. He crosses paths with a young single mother, Katie, who often goes without food just so she can feed her two children. This highlights the absurdity of what ends up becoming a bureaucratic merry-go-round, as Daniel has to fight sanctions and appeal ever more unfair decisions. It also explores the humiliation that people like Katie who have to resort to food banks can feel, and the lengths that hard-working people are forced to go to just to survive. It’s by no means an easy watch, but it is a sobering eye-opener for those who have never really considered how Britain’s working-class lives.
And this is what social realism is all about. Its independently produced nature can predispose such cinema to considerable political bias, but the key message remains. People need help, but they also need our understanding. Cinema, at its finest, should remind us that we are all human beings, and we need to support each other. Chick-flicks and the umpteenth Saw movie provide a good few hours of entertainment, but do they leave any lasting impressions that make us appreciate the struggles of others? Without empathy, we become like stones — indifferent to others’ suffering.
Accessibility is Key
Making niche content more widely accessible to audiences is essential. Presently, films that feature social realism generally tend to grace the screens of film festivals. The purpose of social realism is to raise awareness but it’s made accessible to a select few. Ken Loach’s work benefits from a fair amount of media coverage and a determined market drive, but this is not the case for many other films in the genre. If cinemas were to showcase independent and small-budget films alongside better-known titles, it would open the gates for audiences who struggle to fork out £30 for an entrance fee to an event.
At its core, this is not a case of one genre being better than another. Setting aside one or two evenings a week for lesser-known short films and movies rooted in reality could spark a small-scale change and help break down social divides. Many of us fail to understand how some disadvantaged individuals and families live because we’re remote from the reality of their lives. Cinema could help spread awareness and develop understanding across communities, and perhaps even inspire more people to donate to food banks and local charities. Young minds could especially benefit from gaining a better understanding of what some of their peers might be facing. I, Daniel Blake briefly touches on the humiliation and bullying children can experience if their parents can’t afford school uniforms and other essentials. While this particular film is certainly not for young audiences, introducing realistic fiction aimed at under-12s could help make children more empathetic and less critical of those who do not share their social opportunities.
Everything In Moderation
Many of us watch films to escape reality, and this is just as important as learning from social realism. If cinema is to embrace its full purpose of being an educator and entertainer, no single genre should dominate the screens. Nobody should have to watch hard-hitting and distressing wake-up calls all the time. But to have the choice of seeing a sobering movie at your local cinema is the key to developing a more cohesive society. A healthy balance of entertainment and thought-provoking films could be exactly what Britain needs. Like the Europeans, we need to start taking our cinema a bit more seriously.
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