Simply put, ‘poverty porn’ is a term of criticism applied to films which are accused of being made for a privileged audience and offer up stories of poverty and suffering for their enjoyment. The notion of ‘poverty porn’ seems to have emerged as a reaction to Danny Boyle’s Oscar winning film (2009), Slumdog Millionaire. The film was felt by some critics, both in India and outside, to have been made for a white audience who enjoyed the ‘exotic’ location that housed the story of deprivation.
“Slumdog revels in the violence, degradation and horror, it invites you, the Westerner to enjoy it, too.”- Alice Miles, The Times 14/01/09
As well as emphasis being placed on the modern orientalist approach, of both the filmmakers and audiences in the wealthy West, the second part of this debate focuses on the idea of entertainment and pleasure, with the film being presented as ‘heart-warming’. The film depicts scenes of torture, acid burning and communal violence, with a large amount of aggression directed towards children. Critics of Slumdog Millionaire found the idea of enjoying the film distasteful.
“When the selective manipulation of Third World squalor can make for a feel-good movie in a dismal year, the global village has a long way to go”- Vrinda Nabar, DNA India, 10/01/09
Precious: based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire, has reignited the argument over ‘poverty porn’ bringing the debate to the cultural hegemony of filmmaking- America. The idea of representation and racial stereotypes has caused a backlash against the film, which has been accused of being manipulative and damaging.
Precious’ detractors have attacked the film on two fronts; firstly the content of the film and its use as entertainment, and secondly in terms of racial representation.
“offering up the heroine’s misery for the audience’s delectation”- Dana Stevens,
Full article can be found at Trespass
