What is Social Realism in film?

Social Realism films - a quick definition

by Lukas Agelastos
Both Samantha Lay (2002) and David Forrest (2009 & 2013), the authors of the most important texts on British Social Realism, acknowledge the impact of documentary film on the genre. In order to define it, Lay lists the following features: It aims to show the effects of environmental factors on the development of character by showing the interrelation between location and identity (Hallam and Marshment in Lay 2002). They are texts which explore controversial issues in a society, especially in crisis or conflict (Lowenstein in Lay 2002).

Eva Birthistle & Atta Yaqub in Ae Fond Kiss (2004), dir. Ken Loach

Realist texts are secular, illustrating human rather than divine truths. They are usually grounded in contemporary scene, they provide social extension to include marginalised characters and topics and they are mostly focused on the political intent of the artist (Williams in Lay 2002).
Social Realism films usually are independent productions, using real locations and amateur or little-known actors. They are influenced by the filmmaker’s politics. They seem to be a reaction to mainstream cinema produced for the masses, and a rejection of a particular view of the world.

Marianne Jean-Baptiste & Brenda Blethyn in Secrets & Lies (1996), dir. Mike Leigh

In British social realism, common themes are the demise of the traditional working class, changing gender roles, anti-consumerism, the negative effects of capitalism, and national identity (Lay 2002).
“Social realism is visually defined by its commitment to framing the lives of the ‘real’, within their ‘real’ environment”, adds Forrest (2013). Realism also has “no love of the superfluous and the spectacular, and rejects these, going instead to the root of things” (Rosselini in Forrest 2013).

References

David Forrest. 2009. Social Realism: A British Art Cinema. PhD thesis. University of Sheffield. [ONLINE]. Available at: http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/10351/1/522036.pdf. [Accessed 19th March 2017].
David Forrest. 2013. Social Realism: Art, Nationhood and Politics. Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Samantha Lay. 2002. British Social Realism: From Documentary to Brit-grit. New York: Wallflower Press.

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