Take Shelter

Event date:
Mon, 19/12/2011 This event, sponsored by the MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics (CNGG), explored themes such as the nature of psychosis, family surveillance and genetic communication, risk and uncertainty, states of consciousness, and the role of premonitions in different cultures.
Articles on this film:
Take Shelter: Inheritance, Surveillance and Being Normal
Dr Katie Featherstone
Inheritance (of land, fortune, title) and inheritance of madness is a common plot device and this film gives a contemporary take on this story. The key themes I want to discuss are inheritance and surveillance, but also the competing versions of being ‘normal’ presented and challenged throughout the film.
Risk and Take Shelter
Dr Colin Young
This excellent film poses some important questions. For instance, is the young man experiencing paranoid delusions, or is he in tune with the premonitions of a forthcoming apocalyptic event? Those of us who appreciate science fiction films, will be aware how often that kind of question is posed.To me, some fundamental questions are raised in the film:What’s really going in the world?What are the threats that we face?How should we define these?What should we do about them?