I, Daniel Blake

Question 1

Who directed I, Daniel Blake?

Answer 1

Ken Loach

Question 2

What genre does Ken Loach’s film usually fit into?

Answer 2

Social realism/British Social Realism

Question 3

What is the social realism genre concerned with?

Answer 3

Representing the lives of ordinary people. Such films construct a narrative enabling the spectator audience to engage with social issues such as poverty, homelessness and life on the welfare benefits system.

Question 4

What does it mean that I, Daniel Blake is an independent film?

Answer 4

This means that it has limited financial support and lacks a major distribution deal

Question 5

How do independent films usually distribute and circulate throughout industries?

Answer 5

Distribution and circulation can be guaranteed by seeking deals with small arthouse cinemas or international film festivals such as Cannes.

Question 6

What is the significance of Ken Loach being the director for distribution and circulation?

Answer 6

Loach is a highly regarded film maker which enabled his work to gain release in many European countries and arthouse cinemas, to expand exposure beyond the BBC

Question 7

Ken Loach collected a BAFTA for I, Daniel Blake. What did he say when accepting this award?

Answer 7

He thanked them for ‘endorsing the truth (..) that the vulnerable and poorest people are treated by this government with a callousness and brutality that is disgraceful’

Question 8

I, Daniel Blake is set in Newcastle upon Tyne, what is significant about this?

Answer 8

The north of England is traditionally anti-tory and very much Labour Party/left wing orientated. The Leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, appeared at its London film premiere and praised the film on his Facebook page