Currently, it seems like every day there is an accumulating torrent of bad news coming out of news outlets and it feels like we are headed towards some sort of dystopian future. With the recent announcement of another new Covid-19 variant as well as mounting political tensions building between countries, this seems more pertinent now more than ever.
The 2006 iconic film Children of Men, which was directed by genius Alfonso Cuarón and based on the P. D. James book of the same name, is a perfect reflection of the possible future for the world if we continue along our current trajectory.
The dystopian movie is set in the future during the year 2027 where the world is drowning in chaos from government instability and universal infertility, but when a woman miraculously becomes pregnant a former activist decides to help her make a dash for a rumored sanctuary at sea.
Considering the film was released 15 years ago but still depicts parallels of current global pressures is a testament to just how timeless this movie is and will likely continue to be for many years to come.
Despite the feeling of despair that plagues viewers through the use of its grim, grey color palette, it is somehow able to reach within viewers to touch their souls and ignite a fire to encourage them to endure the hardships they may face in the world.
Children of Men received critical acclaim during its release, winning numerous awards and receiving multiple Oscar nominations including best writing for an adapted screenplay, best cinematography, and best editing. This is no surprise considering the film was directed by Cuarón who later went on to win multiple Oscars for his follow-up films Gravity, and Roma.
Cuarón is also well known for his direction of the third installment of the Harry Potter franchise which is often argued as the best film of the series as seen by this post on Reddit with over 26,000 upvotes.
Cuarón is no doubt one of the best directors of this generation and we hope he will continue to inspire audiences through his art in his upcoming announced projects Ascension, and A Boy and His Shoe.