Yesterday, the 2024 BAFTA Awards were held in London’s Royal Festival Hall, attended by celebrities and reputed names in the industry. An award that caught my attention was Savanah Leaf, who transitioned from a 2012 Olympian to an award-winning filmmaker, described as a disciple of Ken Loach. Last night, “Earth Mama” won the category for "outstanding debut by a British writer, director, or producer."
“Earth Mama” follows the journey of a solo mother striving to regain custody of her children from the US foster care system. The story is deeply rooted in Leaf’s 2021 short documentary “The Heart Still Hums”, which depicted the struggles of five mothers in Sacramento trapped in a similar cycle of state neglect. In a note from A24, Leaf revealed, “I found inspiration in the community of women that raised me and impacted my upbringing. These people were embedded within the fabric and nostalgia of the mid-2000s Bay Area that filled my teenage years.”
Leaf’s approach to storytelling diverges from her predecessors in her deliberate use of camera language. Unlike many filmmakers within the tradition of Social Realism who often employ handheld or dynamic camera movements to immerse viewers in the emotional intensity of the narrative using constantly claustrophobic angles, Leaf opts for a more restrained approach. She strategically employs stillness in her cinematography, allowing moments to linger and inviting the audience to engage with the characters and their environments on a deeper, more contemplative level. This choice not only reflects Leaf's commitment to authenticity but also underscores her desire to provoke emotional resonance through subtlety rather than overt manipulation. By eschewing traditional techniques of imposing emotion on the plot or characters, Leaf invites viewers to actively participate in the narrative, fostering a sense of empathy and connection that is integral to the Social Realist tradition.
Social Realism is deeply intertwined with British cinema. Both share characteristics such as true-to-life characters and settings, socio-political themes, non-professional or unknown casts, 'naturalistic' lighting and dialects, semi-improvised scripts, cyclical narratives, and a lack of resolution. Social realism has evolved alongside society, addressing contemporary issues ranging from 1960s kitchen sink dramas to present-day concerns. A notable figure within the genre is Ken Loach, internationally renowned for his commitment to social realism. Despite his recent retirement from filmmaking, he remains politically engaged, as evidenced by his participation in the event with Gaza protests last night. Newspapers have expressed concern about the absence of an heir to his legacy. Is Savanah Leaf an answer to these prayers, heralding the rise of a politically engaged generation?
It is the start of something new. There are still many stories waiting to be unearthed, hidden in people and places, voices silenced by hate or oppression. Issues rising on the horizon, capitalism kills.
