Social Realism Timeline

Rescued by Rover, 1905.
Directed by Lewin Fitzhamon and Cecil M. Hepworth.
The first social realism film noticed in Britain, the story follows the tale of a dog leading a man to his kidnapped baby.

The Happy Breed, 1944. Directed by David Lean's.
This film follows the lives of an ordinary middle-class family
between the two world wars.

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, 1962.
Directed by Tony Richardson.
Rebellious youth sent to boys reformatory after robbing bakery. Solitary runs allow him to reflect on his privileged status as the Govener's prize runner.

Kes, 1969. Directed by Ken Loach.
Young working-class, troublesome boy finds a happiness in caring for and training his pet falcon.

Life is Sweet, 1990. Directed by Mike Leigh.
Deals with a working-class family and portrays how they interact and play out family conflict, involving a daughter with bulimia, depression and unemployment.

Raining Stones, 1993. Directed by Ken Loach.
Focuses on a poor family with a loving father devoted to his family and religion, his goal is to get his daughter a costly brand-new dress for her first communion but this raises more financial struggles.

Nil by Mouth, 1997. Directed by Gary Oldman.
London working-class family. Raymond's brother-in-law is a drug addict which results in him being kicked out of the house however it is evident Raymond is a violent character and this leads to family hardships.

The Full Monty, 1997. Directed by Peter Cattaneo.
Six unemployed steel workers form a male striptease act known as 'the full monty'.

A room for Romeo Brass, 1999. Directed by Shane Meadows.
Two twelve-year old boys' friendship tested when a stranger comes between them, befriending them both and becomes increasingly more violent when one of the boys' older sister rejects him in a romantic way.

This is England, 2006. Directed by Shane Meadows.
The story of a young troubled boy, set in 1983. He comes across a few skinheads on his way home from school after a fight. The skinheads become his new family, based on real experiences of the director.

Happy-Go-Lucky, 2008. Directed by Mike Leigh.
An insight to the life of Poppy, a cheery, colourful, North-London schoolteacher whose optimism tends to exasperate those around her.

The Selfish Giant, 2013. Directed by Clio Bernard.
A contemporary fable focusing on two working-class 13-year-olds' who seek fortune by getting involved with a local scrap dealer and criminal which leads to tragic consequences.







-Lauren Abbott