THE SELFISH GIANT

Borrowing the title from Oscar Wilde, this modern fable found its inspiration from not only the great writer but real life as well, when director Clio Barnard was researching for her first feature ‘The Arbor’. It’s the raw and striking realism amongst the allegory of ‘The Selfish Giant’ where this remarkable film finds its heart - and heartbreaking empathy.

Set in the impoverished Bradford estates of Northern England, we find 13-year-old Arbor (Conner Chapman), who has severe ADD, and his best friend Swifty (Shaun Thomas); the two only each other, and are outcasts from their peers. When both boys are suspended from school, they spend their time “scrapping” for the local scrap dealer Kitten (Sean Gilder). Discovering the boring and dangerous sides of both legal and illegal scrapping, the boys are encouraged to push boundaries thanks to their newfound riches. When Swifty begins to be favoured by Kitten for his skills with horses, it drives a wedge between the boys, and more dangers arise as greed and acceptance cloud everyone's judgment, leading to dire consequences.