Our Genre

British social realism is a genre that concentrates on issues that are alive in todays society which is represented by different beliefs. We are presented with common themes such as money, drugs, reakups, sex and prostitution, social standing, religion and politics. These themes are now incredibly popular in the genre today, but were no all involved in earlier social realism story lines.

Social realism target audiences depends upon the films forms and conventions, because of the fact that social realism often uses young main characters, the film now appeals to a young/teen audience, ages 13-20, because the film concentrates and follows modern youth. Older British social realism films such as 'Happy Breed' (1944) and 'Spare Time' (1939) would appeal to an over 50 audience, although this is now a rare genre for the over 50 audience, but this does however also show that social realism has a very broad audience, as it can appeal to all audiences. 'Billy Elliot' however was a film that appeals to everyone, and families especially. Trainspotting on the contrary would only appeal to an audience 18-30.

History of social realism - Britain's contribution to cinema in the 1930s lay in a state sponsored documentary tradition that would feed into the 1940s mainstream. Producer Michael Balcon revived the social distinction when he referred to the British industry's longstanding rivalry with Hollywood in terms of 'realism and tinsel'. Balcon, in his position as head of Ealing Studios, would become a key figure in the emergence of a national cinema characterised by stoicism and verisimilitude.

Combining the objective temper and aesthetics of the documentary movement with the stars and resources of studio filmmaking, 1940s British cinema made a stirring appeal to a mass audience. The New Wave was symptomatic of a worldwide emergence of art cinemas challenging mainstream aesthetics and attitudes. identified with their directors rather than with the industry, the New Wave films tended to address issues around masculinity that would become common in British social realism.