Fictional Truth
Radio Times advertising the Forstye Saga, and the Netflix promotional poster for Adolescence.
"Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth." — Albert Camus
I think we've just witnessed another landmark moment where art shows it's power to determine culture (and policy potentially). Hopefully it has an impact on culture.
Which gave me pause to reflect. I've done a lot of factual based work, documentary focussed charity films, etc. I always felt, instinctively, that direct truth from those who own it is the primacy of storytelling. But I reckon I'm wrong, or have remembered that I am wrong.
There have no doubt been documentaries, current affairs programmes, charity ad campaigns about the parasitic influences on the minds of young men, but if there have been it's never struck a chord with the national conscious. At least not one that reverberated particularly loud or long. Seeing an entirely fictional portrayal brings us closer to the truth of the matter. It shows us the visceral impact in a way few factual representations can.
Film has the power to do that. It always have. The only comparable thing in my mind to the impact of Adolescence is the 1967 adaptation of John Galsworthy's The Forsyte Saga. It was also about toxic masculinity in it's own way (husband refused to allow unhappy wife a divorce, after raping her, because he almost literally sees her as his property, which echoes through generations). Aired when it was, concurrent with the era of female emancipation, it gripped the nation (and the US). Church services has to be rescheduled from their Sunday evening slots because everyone was at home for the next episode. Pubs would empty. 100million people watched it. For half a year, it dominated culture and undoubtedly changed it.
That is the power of art to make exponential shifts in the landscape of society.
And it motivates me to do all the more where I can.
If you’re a cause looking to increase your advocacy and feel film is the way to do it, drop us a line at Simmerdim and we’ll chuck some ideas about.
