Director’s Blog – Lisa Charlotte Davis
I’m kind of avoiding it on principle because the whole “one of the greatest love stories of all time” production pitch makes me really uncomfortable.
I’ve seen posters with the tag line “Come Undone” as if the idea of a love that drives you mad is somehow romantic.
I know many column inches have been written on this. So I’ll be concise in saying that, with the understanding of coercive control we have today, I think it is deeply irresponsible messaging.
It’s a story of controlling, possessive, jealous behaviour, of threats of violence and actual violence.
Why anyone would want to associate this with love is beyond me.
How does a young person in a relationship that’s becoming controlling recognise that as something they do not have to accept if we romanticise toxic relationship behaviours?
Our film, A is for Amy, also contains moments of possessive jealous behaviour, of Amy’s boyfriend claiming “You make me do it” – the old love-drives-you-mad-and-you’re-not-then-responsible-for-the-resulting-behaviour trope.
But we are NOT marketing it as a love story.
Young people who have seen it told us:
🚫 [I am going to stop] “ignoring red flags because ‘they love me’”
🚫 “[I feel] more confident that I can identify unhealthy behaviours and help myself and others.”
Teachers told us:
🚫 “Pupils spoke about how they had not realised that some of their behaviours displayed were abusive, but now they understand that they are.”
THIS is what we need our young people to understand.
Photography by Carl Joyce.
