Better Things is a 2008 film written and directed by Duane Hopkins. Set in present-day rural England, the film presents a multi-narrative tale following the young and old on their journeys of withdrawal and commitment to each other.
Liam McIlfatrick Megan Palmer Betty Bench Frank Bench Rachel McIntyre Che Corr Tara Ballard Freddie Cunliffe Patricia Loveland Kurt Taylor Michael Socha
Hopkins began work on the screenplay for Better Things in 2003, and in 2004 was awarded the MEDIA New Talent Award for Best Screenplay by an under 35-year-old at the Cannes Film Festival. An intensive casting process then started in and around the West Midlands where the film was set. Hopkins built on the real-world casting techniques he had employed in his earlier short films, concentrating on ordinary people whose experiences were similar to those of his written characters, and whom he also found photographically compelling.[1] As the film explores the issue of heroin addiction and the physical and emotional functions of drugs for the user, Hopkins cast several young people who themselves had been addicted to heroin. Shooting was conducted on location over 6 weeks in October and November 2006.
The critical response to Better Things was positive, with the film reviewed as Film of the Month in Sight and Sound magazine,[2] film of the week in Le Monde,[3] chosen as one of Film Comment Selects best films of 2009, and shortlisted for The Guardian's First Film Award 2009.[4] It was, however, also attacked in some quarters for its supposed bleakness and unrelenting tone.[5] Many favourable critics responded to what they found to be the film's visual beauty, and an innovative cinematic reworking of the British Social Realist form. Variety compared the film in different ways to works by American photographer Nan Goldin (particularly her The Ballad of Sexual Dependency), and the British directors Lynne Ramsay and Alan Clarke.[6]
Other critics drew visual and thematic connections to Romanticism, noting imagery "reminiscent of Gainsborough or Constable – to grandiloquent, tempestuous shots evoking Caspar David Friedrich, and the bold style of other late Romantics". Vilhelm Hammershøi is similarly referenced, as well as "the film’s most vivid and direct quotation – that of Henry Wallis’ Chatterton".[7] Much was made of the film's perceived stylistic innovations that moved away from the traditional British Social Realist modes of Loach or Leigh whilst still rendering avowedly realist characters and subject matter.[8] With Better Things Hopkins was positioned as part of a 'British New Wave' of directors, alongside Steve McQueen and others, demonstrating that there was a 'new generation of British cinema coming to the boil'.[9] This thread was later taken up in New Cinemas: Journal of Contemporary Film, with a detailed analysis of contemporary British realist cinema that used Better Things as a point of entry in discussing how 'the likes of Hopkins, Andrea Arnold and Lynne Ramsay can be seen to adopt an approach that places a greater emphasis on the poetic potentials of realist imagery at the expense of social-political didacticism'.[10] Other critics found a strong vein of social intent in the film and emphasised its uncommon vision of life in present day rural communities; in hailing a 'steelily impressive debut' the Radio Times stated that "Duane Hopkins's first feature is a compelling and highly credible insight into the deterioration of life in rural Britain".[11]Better Things won several awards and nominations internationally following its premiere at Cannes, including the FIPRESCI Critics Award for Best Film at Stockholm International Film Festival.[12]
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Better Things is a 2008 film written and directed by Duane Hopkins Set in present day rural England the film presents a multi narrative tale following the young and old on their journeys of withdrawal and commitment to each other Better ThingsFilm posterDirected byDuane HopkinsWritten byDuane HopkinsProduced bySamm Haillay Rachel RobeyStarringLiam McIlfatrickMegan PalmerBetty BenchFrank BenchRachel McIntyreChe CorrTara BallardFreddie CunliffePatricia LovelandKurt TaylorMichael SochaCinematographyLol CrawleyEdited byChris BarwellMusic byDan BerridgeDistributed byCelluloid Dreams Soda Pictures UK Release dates17 May 2008 2008 05 17 Cannes Film Festival 23 January 2009 2009 01 23 United Kingdom Running time93 minutesCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglish Contents 1 Production 2 Release 3 Critical reception 4 Awards and nominations 5 References 6 External linksProduction editHopkins began work on the screenplay for Better Things in 2003 and in 2004 was awarded the MEDIA New Talent Award for Best Screenplay by an under 35 year old at the Cannes Film Festival An intensive casting process then started in and around the West Midlands where the film was set Hopkins built on the real world casting techniques he had employed in his earlier short films concentrating on ordinary people whose experiences were similar to those of his written characters and whom he also found photographically compelling 1 As the film explores the issue of heroin addiction and the physical and emotional functions of drugs for the user Hopkins cast several young people who themselves had been addicted to heroin Shooting was conducted on location over 6 weeks in October and November 2006 Release editBetter Things premiered in the official selection of International Critics Week at the Cannes Film Festival May 2008 Critical reception editThe critical response to Better Things was positive with the film reviewed as Film of the Month in Sight and Sound magazine 2 film of the week in Le Monde 3 chosen as one of Film Comment Selects best films of 2009 and shortlisted for The Guardian s First Film Award 2009 4 It was however also attacked in some quarters for its supposed bleakness and unrelenting tone 5 Many favourable critics responded to what they found to be the film s visual beauty and an innovative cinematic reworking of the British Social Realist form Variety compared the film in different ways to works by American photographer Nan Goldin particularly her The Ballad of Sexual Dependency and the British directors Lynne Ramsay and Alan Clarke 6 Other critics drew visual and thematic connections to Romanticism noting imagery reminiscent of Gainsborough or Constable to grandiloquent tempestuous shots evoking Caspar David Friedrich and the bold style of other late Romantics Vilhelm Hammershoi is similarly referenced as well as the film s most vivid and direct quotation that of Henry Wallis Chatterton 7 Much was made of the film s perceived stylistic innovations that moved away from the traditional British Social Realist modes of Loach or Leigh whilst still rendering avowedly realist characters and subject matter 8 With Better Things Hopkins was positioned as part of a British New Wave of directors alongside Steve McQueen and others demonstrating that there was a new generation of British cinema coming to the boil 9 This thread was later taken up in New Cinemas Journal of Contemporary Film with a detailed analysis of contemporary British realist cinema that used Better Things as a point of entry in discussing how the likes of Hopkins Andrea Arnold and Lynne Ramsay can be seen to adopt an approach that places a greater emphasis on the poetic potentials of realist imagery at the expense of social political didacticism 10 Other critics found a strong vein of social intent in the film and emphasised its uncommon vision of life in present day rural communities in hailing a steelily impressive debut the Radio Times stated that Duane Hopkins s first feature is a compelling and highly credible insight into the deterioration of life in rural Britain 11 Better Things won several awards and nominations internationally following its premiere at Cannes including the FIPRESCI Critics Award for Best Film at Stockholm International Film Festival 12 Awards and nominations editWinner FIPRESCI Critics Award for Best Film Stockholm International Film Festival 2008 Winner Best Cinematography The Golden Brigg Kiev 2009 Winner SIGNIS Award for Best Film from World Catholic Association for Communication Alba Film Festival 2009 Winner MEDIA New Talent Prize for Screenwriting 2004 Nominated Camera d Or Cannes Film Festival 2008 Nominated Michael Powell Award Edinburgh International Film Festival 2008 Nominated Diesel Discovery Award Toronto International Film Festival 2008 Nominated Finnkino Prize Helsinki Film Festival 2008References edit Duane Hopkins on Better Things Film4 Archived from the original on 8 November 2010 Retrieved 10 September 2010 BFI Sight amp Sound Film of the Month Better Things 2007 Archived from the original on 15 August 2010 Retrieved 10 September 2010 Better Things Dans la solitude des collines anglaises Le Monde 20 January 2009 Pulver Andrew 31 December 2009 Unveiled The Guardian First Film award shortlist The Guardian Home Page the TLS https www variety com review VE1117937185 html categoryid 31 amp cs 1 amp query better things duane dead link Better Things and the Emotion of Artistry 13 February 2009 BFI Sight amp Sound Cannes 2008 A royal rumpus Archived from the original on 22 January 2010 Retrieved 13 September 2010 Pulver Andrew 14 May 2008 Get ready for the British new wave The Guardian http www atypon link com INT doi abs 10 1386 ncin 8 1 31 1 permanent dead link Better Things film review Radio Times www radiotimes com Archived from the original on 7 February 2009 Retrieved 6 June 2022 Wong Kar Wai amp Penelope Cruz Charlotte Rampling Movie Festival Honorees Alt Film Guide 30 November 2008 External links editOfficial website Better Things at IMDb nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Better Things film amp oldid 1106227035, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
