illegitimacy and social stigma

His social realist films consistently examine the struggles of marginalized individuals facing institutional judgment and societal prejudice.

He explores family structures outside traditional norms and the social shame surrounding unconventional parentage and legitimacy in works like 'Shoplifters' and 'Nobody Knows'.

His character-driven narratives deeply investigate working-class anxieties about respectability, illegitimacy, and the emotional toll of social stigma.