Safe: Alienation, Fear, Paranoia and Film Form

In terms of its exploration of alienation, fear, paranoia and the feeling of helplessness when confronted by a rapidly changing world, there are few films that surpass Todd Haynes’ thoughtful and stylish Safe.

We have programmed a series of films that focus on women and explore a variety of ways in which we find ourselves dislocated from the world around us; a complex world that perhaps too many of us are happy to simply accept. The season is equally interested in how filmmakers have chosen to explore these ideas formally in terms of film style, and how they communicate their ideas about people’s relationships with the modern world.

Find out more about the season with this short intro from The University of Salford’s Andy Willis

In this season

Alienation, Fear and Paranoia on Film

Andy Willis previews our season exploring alienation, fear and paranoia on film. It accompanies our art exhibition, Safe, which takes Todd Haynes’ thoughtful and stylish…

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Previously in this season

Persona

Championed by Susan Sontag on its release, Persona is widely regarded as one of the most striking films ever made and considered by many to…

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Safe

A bored housewife develops an allergy to modern consumerism and life.

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Martha Marcy May Marlene

A damaged and vulnerable young woman, Martha, attempts to re-connect with her sister and re-establish normality after fleeing from an isolated cult. Her years of…

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Red Desert

Director Antonioni’s first feature made in colour and famed for its use of striking industrial landscapes, Red Desert’s exploration of modernity and alienation perfectly complements…

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Persona Intro

This screening will include an extended introduction from Andy Willis, Reader in Film Studies at the University of Salford and Sarah Perks, our Artistic Director…

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Gravity and Grace

Gravity & Grace, named after Simone Weil's posthumous book, tells the story of two young women in New Zealand. The film follows Grace as she…

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