THEME EXPLORATION

small-town hero

26 films · 3 directors

Tracing the thread…

FILMS THAT EXPLORE THIS
Keeper of the Flame
Keeper of the Flame
1942 · George Cukor
In a Valley of Violence
In a Valley of Violence
2016 · Ti West
Amarcord
Amarcord
1973 · Federico Fellini
Loves of a Blonde
Loves of a Blonde
1965 · Miloš Forman
Mad Max 2
Mad Max 2
1981 · George Miller
Werckmeister Harmonies
Werckmeister Harmonies
2000 · Béla Tarr
The Young Girls of Rochefort
The Young Girls of Rochefort
1967 · Jacques Demy
Cape Fear
Cape Fear
1962 · J. Lee Thompson
The Entertainer
The Entertainer
1960 · Tony Richardson
Restoration
Restoration
2011 · Yossi Madmoni
Agito: Superpower War
Agito: Superpower War
2026 · Ryuta Tasaki
Frantz
Frantz
2016 · François Ozon
High Noon
High Noon
1952 · Fred Zinnemann
Giovani mariti (les Jeunes Maris/Young Husbands
Giovani mariti (les Jeunes Maris/Young Husbands
1958 · Mauro Bolognini
Lullaby to Kill
Lullaby to Kill
1977 · Kon Ichikawa
Wakefield Express
Wakefield Express
1952 · Lindsay Anderson
The Frighteners
The Frighteners
1996 · Peter Jackson
Boomerang!
Boomerang!
1947 · Elia Kazan
Duelo en las montañas
Duelo en las montañas
1950 · Emilio “Indio” Fernández
King Eagle
King Eagle
1971 · Chang Cheh
Laos and Kolonaki
Laos and Kolonaki
1959 · Yannis Dalianidis
Once Is Never
Once Is Never
1955 · Konrad Wolf
Pueblo en vilo
Pueblo en vilo
1995 · Patricio Guzmán
Rosauro Castro
Rosauro Castro
1950 · Roberto Gavaldón
The Alienist
The Alienist
1970 · Nelson Pereira dos Santos
The Priest and the Girl
The Priest and the Girl
1966 · Joaquim Pedro de Andrade
DIRECTORS WHO EXPLORE THIS
Damien Chazelle United States

His films like 'Whiplash' and 'La La Land' chronicle ordinary individuals striving against their limitations in confined environments, embodying the small-town hero's relentless pursuit of greatness.

 Ken Loach United Kingdom

His gritty realist films consistently elevate working-class protagonists in economically struggling communities as moral heroes, capturing their dignity and resistance against systemic adversity.

 Hirokazu Koreeda Japan

Through intimate character studies like 'Shoplifters' and 'Broker,' he reveals the quiet heroism of marginalized individuals navigating poverty and social exclusion with resilience and compassion.