British social realism films focus on portraying the struggles of everyday working class lives, typically set in run-down urban areas like council estates. They depict issues like poverty, crime, and gangs in a gritty, naturalistic style using unknown actors and locations that feel authentic. Examples given are Kidulthood, set in a London council estate using local cast and locations to feel realistic, and This is England, set vaguely in a run-down northern English town to represent the daily grind of life. The target audience for social realism films has changed over time from middle class adults interested in other cultures to younger audiences who relate more to the modern urban settings and youthful main characters.

1. British Social Realism

2.  Social realism is a genre of film that focuses on topical
issues alive in a modern society which is represented by
dealing with issues like drugs, sex, poverty, prostitution,
homosexuality, alcoholism and crime.
 Social realism films show the struggle of life with all its
difficulties. The stories and people portrayed are everyday
characters, usually from working class backgrounds.
Typically, films within the social realist are gritty, urban
dramas about the struggle to survive the daily grind.

3.  A typical British social realism will revolve around a council estate
or block of flats or a run down area of different cities, usually
somewhere in London. The main characters will be poor and resort
to violence or breaking the law to live. Normally the film will
include topics such as gang life quite heavily
 For example ‘Kidulthood’ (2006) is set in a council estate and was
made by Londoners of which the film was set, employing those from
a London origin to star in the film gave a more realistic approach to
the character types because they knew from first hand experience
what growing up in London is like. Real locations of London are
used throughout the film as it makes look more real and
naturalistic, these are also locations that the audience can relate
to.
 Another film that is uses setting to represent the daily struggle of
life is ‘This is England’ (2006) the film is loosely based on Shane
Meadow’s upbringing in Uttoxeter in Staffordshire, although the
actual location is unclear, but as an audience we have idea that it is
set on some run down estate somewhere along the north coast of
England which adds a strong sense of realism.

4.  Social Realism films feature characters wanting escape
from the troubles that lie with their society. In ‘Fish Tank’
(2009) the central character, Mia Williams (Katie Jarvis) is
a volatile and socially isolated 15-year-old who has been
excluded from school. However the film spends less focus
on her hot-tempered behaviour but more on her struggle of
wanting to escape her life on the council estate, she wants
to become her own person rather than behaving like
everyone else on the estate; the biggest comparison being
her mother.
 British Social Realism films use non-professional or
unknown actors as it adds to the realistic look. Also, many
British Social Realism films cannot afford popular,
Hollywood actors to be in their films as the budget is
usually quite low.

5.  The target audience has change in the last 60 years of social
realism film. Old social realism films target audience were
middle class adults. This is because they were shown at art
house cinemas and these kinds of audiences could afford
going to film because, they like to see how lower class people
live their lives. But recent social realism films appeal to a
younger generation of age by using young actors as the main
character and in some films uses a modern urban that would
appeal to a younger audience.
 The target audience all varies depending on the films forms
and conventions, because social realism films use young main
characters. This appeals to a young audience. A film like
‘Kidulthood’ is more likely to appeal to 13-18’s because the
culture the film is set around appeals to the modern youth.
Trainspotting on the other hand wouldn’t be appropriate for
the family as there a strong drug references and swearing but
would appeal to young adults from 18-30 and older
generations.

6.  Sexism
 Alcoholism
 Violence
 Naturalistic Lighting
 Less Know Actors
 Modern V’s Traditional
 Different Cultures
 Gritty Locations