George is one of 800,000 children who were evacuated to the countryside from major British cities during the blitzthe period between 1940 and 1941 in which the United Kingdom suffered continuous bombing by Hitler’s Luftwaffe. He is also the protagonist of Blitzthe new film by Steve McQueen (London, 55 years old), which arrives this Friday on Apple TV+. The director, Oscar-winning 12 years of slavery (2013) and with the title of knight of the British Empire since 2020, does not reproduce, in its first feature in six years, the war propaganda of British Stoicism (such as the famous motto keep calm and carry onor “keep calm and carry on”), which Brexiteers like so much.
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McQueen prefers to remember that London was already a multicultural society then, within the framework of a rewriting of the black history of the United Kingdom that began with the fabulous series Small Axe (2020), about Afro-Caribbean immigration in the second half of the 20th century, and the documentary Uprising (2021), about the Brixton riots in the 1980s. It does so through the story of a mother (Saoirse Ronan) and her mixed-race son, whom she desperately searches for in a burning city. The director and visual artist, known for a brusqueness only tempered when he is slightly interested in a question (it will happen only once), responded to this interview by video call while a plumber was making repairs at his London home.
Ask. Why talk about blitz in 2024?
Answer. I always had it in mind. In 2003 I was commissioned to produce a play about the British Armed Forces. I spent time with troops in Iraq, saw how the population lived, and it made me think of the United Kingdom in 1940. Later, while researching for the series Small AxeI discovered a photo of a black child evacuated during the bombing. I wondered what his story was.
P. His previous project, the documentary Occupied Cityalso talked about World War II in Amsterdam, his adopted city, where he feels like he lives “among ghosts.”
R. In Amsterdam you walk among the homes of hundreds of thousands of people who were deported. They are all still there. In London there are also those ghosts of history, but in a more silent way. Sometimes, what is close is forgotten more easily than what is distant. In the UK we know more about the Tudors than about the blitz.
P. Why do you think that happens?
R. No idea. You tell me, you’re the journalist.
P. From Hunger until Small Axepassing through 12 years of slaveryhis work usually works with history, recent or distant.
R. My film is set in 1940, but it talks about 2024. In that child’s face I also see Gaza, Israel, Lebanon, Sierra Leone or any place at war today. History is a way of examining the present, of finding out how we got here.
“In that child’s face I also see Gaza, Israel, Sierra Leone or any place at war. “History is a way of examining the present, of finding out how we got here.”
P. It shows the conflict through everyday scenes, not great feats of war. Is it war as the working class experienced it?
R. I’m talking about innocents trapped in leaders’ decisions. Not Churchill, Roosevelt or Truman, but Rita, George and Tilda. They are working class, but they are, above all, people. I’m talking about those who are left behind, those who are left behind.
P. And how they survive through solidarity, a fortitude or ethics typical of that humble class.
R. Yes, that interested me. I never felt so nationalistic about my country as in Iraq, when I lived with soldiers of different origins and accents from the United Kingdom. It was wonderful, but also perverse: without the war, that camaraderie would not have existed.
P. That is to say, current society seems dehumanized to us, but there is a solidarity that emerges in moments of extreme tension and violence.
R. It is undeniable. Suddenly everyone becomes more sensible and kind, which always seems strange to me. It happens everywhere, also in your country. Look at the Franco era. Did you know that it was the socialists who returned from the Civil War in Spain who imported the idea of taking refuge in the subway? But Churchill forbade them to do so, because he considered that hiding there was a sign of cowardice. That’s why they had to force their way through.
P. His film is once again situated, like all the previous ones, at the crossroads between auteur and commercial cinema. Is it premeditated?
R. I don’t think in those terms. I’m just trying to make the best movie possible. If critics like it, fine. If it reaches a wide audience, the better. But hey, yeah, I don’t want to work in a niche. I’m interested in being popular.
P. He said that he wanted Small Axe broadcast on the BBC, and not on a streaming platform. streamingso that her mother could see her.
R. That’s right, but I also rolled 12 years of slavery without thinking that it would be a massive film, and it turned out to be a great success. My interest remains in making the best film possible.
Actress Saoirse Ronan, in an image from ‘Blitz’.APPLE
P. Interracial relationships are recurrent in his works…
R. Not so much. I don’t think about it like that, I’m talking about people. It’s like saying that Pedro Almodóvar only talks about Spaniards…
P. What I want to say is that Blitz points out that the United Kingdom, like other European countries, was diverse and multicultural since the times of the Empire, if not before…
R. Yes, I guess. Yes, absolutely. Yeah…
P. And many films about World War II ignore this aspect. Do you aspire to correct these representations?
R. I am not seeking to correct anything, but to tell a truth. I have not come to give history lessons, but to tell the best story I can, based on the facts and my research. If others ignore it, that’s up to them. London had significant black and Chinese communities. That’s the truth.
P. And, at a time when the truth is ignored or denied, is it important to insist on it?
R. Yes, as with the stories of cowboys and Indians. Although the first ones were not the bad guys, the cinema represented them that way for a long time.
P. In 2020 he worked at Year 3project in London schools. He photographed hundreds of primary classes to demonstrate that, despite the Brexit retreat, London was a multiracial city.
R. I hadn’t thought about it, but it’s a good observation, there is something in common between that project and Blitz. It is interesting to be able to visualize that diversity.
“Deep down, everything is a matter of love, because love is the only thing worth living or dying for.”
P. Why did you choose Saoirse Ronan as the protagonist?
R. I needed authenticity, some ground and truth, someone who had a strength. Then they told me I sang well. And that her mother raised her alone, like with the boy in the movie. It was just her and her mother. Everything was there.
P. His film is very musical: Paul Weller and Benjamin Clementine play roles in it. Music played an important role during the war. Why do you think it was sung in the pubs while the bombs fell?
R. Music creates community and camaraderie. Don’t you find it strange how powerful it is to sing together? I guess that’s why it’s used so much in religion. Singing is a balm that gives us hope.
P. At one point, the boy exclaims, “I’m black.” Until then he doesn’t seem to know or accept it.
R. That child raised in a white environment that despises blackness. He is surrounded by messages that tell him that blackness has no value. But when he meets a black man, a Nigerian soldier who is strong and acts like a leader, he sees himself with pride.
P. One of the most powerful sequences is when that child discovers offensive cartoons in a shop window. Is your film the reverse of those representations?
R. You are the journalist, interpret it however you want. I’m just the artist. Sometimes, I feel that artists are doctors and the rest of society are patients.
P. His film celebrates the strength of community and family. For you, how important is family?
R. I don’t know what family is. Or, in any case, it doesn’t have to be blood, it can be a beautiful friendship. Deep down everything is a matter of love, because love is the only thing worth living or dying for.
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**How does McQueen’s emphasis on individual narratives, particularly in “Blitz,” challenge traditional historical representations and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of World War II?**
Here are some open-ended questions for discussion, divided into thematic sections, based on the provided interview with director Steve McQueen:
**I. History, Memory, and Representation**
* McQueen states he feels surrounded by “ghosts” in Amsterdam due to its history. How does the physical presence of the past influence our understanding of the present? Can you think of examples where the tangible remnants of history shape a community’s identity or outlook?
* The article highlights McQueen’s interest in exploring history through individual stories. Do you think focusing on personal narratives is an effective way to engage with larger historical events? Why or why not?
* McQueen criticizes the tendency to overlook recent history, citing the UK’s focus on the Tudors over World War II. Why might societies focus on distant events while neglecting more recent history? What are the potential consequences of such a selective approach to the past?
* The film “Blitz” aims to portray the diversity of London during World War II, a perspective often absent in traditional narratives. Why is it important to challenge conventional representations of historical events?
**II. War and Society**
* McQueen draws parallels between the camaraderie forged in wartime and the societal divisions that exist in peacetime. In your view, can periods of crisis actually bring people together in unexpected ways? How can these moments of unity be fostered even in the absence of conflict?
* The director highlights the resilience and fortitude of ordinary people “trapped in leaders’ decisions.” How do ordinary individuals cope with the consequences of large-scale events beyond their control?
* McQueen emphasizes the importance of solidarity and ethics in times of hardship. What are some examples of acts of solidarity and ethical behavior displayed during wartime? How can these values be applied to address contemporary challenges?
* The film explores the impact of war on children, suggesting that their experiences reflect broader societal traumas. How does understanding the impact of war on young people contribute to a richer understanding of wartime experiences?
**III. Art, Identity, and Representation**
* McQueen discusses the significance of music as a source of support and communal strength during wartime. How can art, and music specifically, serve as a powerful force for resilience and connection in times of crisis?
* The film portrays a young boy questioning his racial identity. How does the experience of wartime contribute to the exploration of personal and collective identities?
* McQueen emphasizes the universality of love as a driving force. How can art, through exploring themes of love and empathy, bridge cultural divides and foster understanding?
* The director consciously casts Saoirse Ronan, a singer, for her authenticity and strength. Why do you think representing complex characters authentically is crucial in filmmaking?
By exploring these open-ended questions, you can engage in a meaningful discussion about the themes presented in the Steve McQueen interview. Remember to encourage diverse viewpoints and thoughtful reflections.
