Series 7: The Contenders

In a dystopian future, citizens are chosen to participate in a deadly televised reality game show where they are hunted by other contestants. The latest 'Contender', Dawn, is a seemingly ordinary young mother who becomes a national obsession as she fights for her life against increasingly dangerous opponents. As the game progresses, the lines between entertainment, survival, and morality become blurred, questioning the nature of celebrity and reality television.

Series 7: The Contenders garnered significant attention for its prescient themes and dark satire of reality television and media manipulation. While some critics found its tone bleak and its violence gratuitous, many praised its innovative concept, sharp social commentary, and effective performances, particularly from its lead.

• A chillingly prescient satire on reality television and media culture.
• Offers a bleak but effective commentary on surveillance and manufactured celebrity.
• Praised for its dark humor and disturbing exploration of violence as entertainment.

Google audience: Audience reviews generally praise the film's dark humor and its surprisingly relevant social commentary on the rise of reality TV. Some viewers found the premise disturbing, but many appreciated its thought-provoking nature and unique take on futuristic entertainment.

Screened at the Sundance Film Festival and nominated for the Grand Jury Prize.

The film was shot in a cinéma vérité style, using handheld cameras to enhance the feeling of realism and immediacy, mimicking the aesthetic of actual reality television shows.