Influences

Once we had decided on a genre, we started to look into other social realism films that might inspire our own product. We gained an understanding of the term "kitchen sink realism" to describe the rise of the arts (particualrly film) in the 1950s/60s that depicted disillusioned characters in modern society. 

Journey to the End of the Night- Theatrical Trailer

Not only does this film/film trailer, in a very explicit way, expose the brutality and violation within society as the social realism genre does, its trailer also conforms to many conventions which we now wish to include in our own trailer.

London to Brighton- Theatrical Trailer

This film was our main source of inspiration as it centres around the struggle of a 12 year old girl who faces sexual exploitation, homelessness and voilent threats.

Like many social realism films, London to Brighton's narrative concludes with a balanced equilibrium whereby, although both main characters escape their horrorific situation that they face through much of the film, they still return to their original or worse point of struggle. For example, the final shot of the film is a shot of Kelly's back walking out from an London train station to a street which will inevitably lead her back to a life of prostitution. The most innocent of the victims though in this story is Joanne who, although it appears at the end of the film that going to a secure, potentially more loving home than before may improve her life considerably, the audience are still aware of the mental scars that this experience would have left her with.

Fish Tank- Theatrical Trailer

Following the story of a teenage girl struggling against the sexual exploitation from her mother's boyfriend and other issues such as poverty and violence. We see Mia going away at the end of the film and although it is evident that the series of events that lead up to this point were horrorific, we are still unsure whether the ending of the film is one of brutal reality or hope.

Albatross- Theatrical Trailer

This coming of age drama following the story of a girl battling the struggles she faces in life after the loss of both her parents. After befriending another girl, she starts having sex with her friend's dad and she is confronted with even more worries.Themes such as these are very common within social realism and this is the reason this film was such an inspiration to our trailer.