Sweet Sixteen

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Sweet Sixteen


Co-funded by BBC, Sweet Sixteen productions, Scottish Screen, Road Movies


Paul Laverty - screenplay (partnership with Loach on many films)


Ken Loach

Cathy come home (1966)

British new wave ‘kitchen-sink’ drama

Small screen


Setting

Industrial Glasgow

Importance of place ad environment in British film and cinema


Characters

Jean

Liam

Piball


Performance

Improvised acting

Natural performances

Real people/Real lives

Reactions and emotions


Overview

Liam 15, mum (Jean) in prison (drugs) - soon to be released

Stan - Jean’s boyfriend (drug dealer), abusive to Liam; controlling partner to Jean

Maternal grandad - in for himself, not supporting Liam

Liam Truant - petty crime then drug dealing (groomed)

Sister Chantelle - young single mum trying to better herself


Key ideas/themes

Dysfunctional families

Working glass Glasgow - industrial setting

‘gentry’ live in Greenock

Prospects/Opportunities for young people

Poverty


Cause and effect trajectory

Propp’s archetypes

Binary opposites: social conditions, valued, ideologies 


Considering the implication of language politics in social realist films


Language can be exclusionary - use of jargon


Sweet sixteen and swearing

  • Given an 18 certificate by the BBFC for foul language
  • Loach and Lavery attacked the decision in the press, accusing the BBFC of ‘class censorship’ and of pandering to middle class prejudices
  • The films’ language reflects the dialect of the community, but the rating denied those being represented from seeing the film
  • Inverclyde council (where the film is set) overturned the BBFC’s rating to show the film at 15 rating local cinemas


Is language important in representation?

  • Realism = relatable = accurate representation 

*Needs to be an element of truth

  • English actors undermine the truth of the characters reality
  • Eye dialect
  • RP dialects - the intelligent and wealthy one


Liam - The Queen

Pinball - Gen Z


PB - Hes giving scullion some money

Liam - That means they are going to get a delivery. For heavens sake. This is a fabulous opportunity! I know where they hide the substance. We can retrieve it with no problem.

PB - What are you talking about

Liam - The substance. I know where it is.

PB - You wanna break into Stans house?

Liam - Yes I do. Go get the supplies

PB - You’re actually crazy. Don't be an idiot


Ideology 

  • Political - Representing those who aren’t usually represented. Expressing Marxist ideas about society to incite change
  • Humanist - Reflecting reality as close to possible and portraying peoples lives in a way that challenges stereotypes

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