1 - Introduction: Shane's World

Summary

If any one moment marked Shane Meadows' indelible entry into the British cinema canon, it was the victory of This is England (2006) in the best film category at the 2008 BAFTAs. Just as This is England was a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama, this award-ceremony victory represented a parallel ‘coming-of-age’ in Meadows' filmmaking career. Triumphing over a particularly glossy roster of nominated films – David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises, rock biopic Control, the sweeping historical spectacle Atonement and political action thriller The Bourne Ultimatum (all 2007) – the low-budget This is England certainly stood out among its competitors. Moreover, as perhaps the only uncontentiously ‘British’ film among the nominees with a cast largely made up of unknown and non-professional performers, Meadows' 1980s period drama seemed particularly incongruous when the competition featured globally recognisable stars such as Naomi Watts, Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen and Matt Damon.

The success of This is England consolidated Meadows' pre-eminence among the younger generation of contemporary British directors, a cultural status only confirmed by the much-hyped television sequels This is England '86 (2010) and This is England '88 (2011), broadcast on Channel Four. The This is England series is also notable for managing to combine critical esteem with commercial success. This is England's theatrical release in the UK comfortably recouped its budget of £1.5 million, while the domestic DVD of the film sold an extraordinary 785,000 copies. Moreover, the opening episode of This is England '86 scored a Channel Four launch record for an original drama of 2.56 million viewers.