Steve McQueen says his film on Grenfell Tower disaster will leave audiences ‘disturbed’

Los Angeles: ’12 Years a Slave’ director Sir Steve McQueen is warning, his unflinching film on the Grenfell Tower disaster will leave audiences “disturbed”.

The Oscar-winning ’12 Years a Slave’ director shot his movie of the burned out husk of the high-rise flat block from a helicopter – just before its charred remains were shrouded in white plastic emblazoned with a giant green heart – as a stark reminder of the brutal destruction the building represents – and of the fact not one person or firm has been punished for their role in the 72 deaths in the inferno there on June 14, 2017, reports ‘Female First UK’.

McQueen told The Guardian he wanted to use the 24-minute film, soundtracked only by natural noise, to ensure people didn’t get “want to let people off the hook” when it came to the reality of the tragedy.

He said, quoted by ‘Female First UK’, “You must understand that the violence that was inflicted on that community was no joke. I didn’t want to let people off the hook. There are going to be people who are going to be a little bit disturbed. When you make art, anything half decent… there are certain people you will possibly offend. But that is how it is.”

The filmmaker added about his technique of starting the film by putting the block in the context of its surrounding landscape of greenery and football pitches: “I wanted to put the building in perspective of our everyday (life). It’s not isolated. That is important because (the viewer is) put it in the perspective of yourself.”

The British director, who grew up in the White City estate near the North Kensington Grenfell block, has held back until now on screening the film.

–IANS