Director Clio Barnard adapted Keiran Goddard's novel "I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning" into a film despite the source material containing no hero, no dialogue and little action. The resulting work has drawn acclaim for its humour and energy.
Goddard grew up in 1990s Birmingham watching tower blocks demolish as entertainment. The controlled explosions that destroyed Shard End's postwar council estates symbolised regeneration and progress. Residents were promised better lives in replacement housing.
Goddard himself left Birmingham for Oxford University to study English. He now lives in London and works as a writer. Yet physical distance has not translated to emotional distance from his hometown. "So I feel quite splintered," Goddard says. "I'm not sure anyone ever really leaves the world they grew up in."
The film explores this tension between escape and rootedness. For children of the estate, success often required leaving. The demolition marked both an ending and a beginning. New buildings replaced old ones. People dispersed. But Goddard's words suggest the psychological weight of departure persists even after achievement.
Barnard's adaptation transforms a sparse, dialogue-free novel into something rousing and funny. The Guardian published this piece as part of its film coverage.