12 Years A Slave director Steve McQueen says people will be “disturbed” by his new Grenfell documentary.
Sitting down with The Guardian to talk about the 24-minute-long work, which focuses on the 2017 tragedy, the Oscar-winning filmmaker said he didn’t “want to let people off the hook” when it came to the reality of what transpired. He said that he knew his unflinching work would make people feel “disturbed,” and possibly offend them.
“You must understand that the violence that was inflicted on that community was no joke,” McQueen told the newspaper. “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.”
He added: “I wanted to put the building in perspective of our everyday [life]. It’s not isolated. That is important because you [the viewer] put it in the perspective of yourself.”
The British director has held back on screening the film of the burnt-out North Kensington tower-block ruin. However, he now hopes its public screening will help the push for justice before the sixth anniversary of the disaster.
According to the paper, the short film was shot from a helicopter in December 2017, shortly before the charred tower in west London was wrapped in white plastic. The footage is not set to words or music, and instead just allows McQueen’s camera to circle the council block.
The film contains close-up shots of the building, which will allow viewers to see into rooms where people died with white-suited forensic investigators sifting evidence.
The paper adds that the project has involved extensive consultation with the bereaved, survivors and neighbours. Meanwhile, the survivors and community are still waiting for the findings of a public inquiry (commenced five years ago), alongside a wait to hear whether police will recommend criminal prosecutions that may bring about jail terms for those involved in the tragedy.
McQueen’s ‘Grenfell’ documentary will exhibited at the Serpentine Gallery, London, from April 7 to May 10.