Horrors and sacrifices: the Irish generational nightmare in Vivarium (2019), by Lorcan Finnegan

Abstract

Vivarium (2019), a film by Lorcan Finnegan, follows the tragic story of a couple who, seeking to buy their first property, find themselves trapped in a housing complex. The events of the feature may be associated with changes in capitalism, which led to modifications in the family and identity structure of Ireland, starting from the economic phenomenon Celtic Tiger (1994-2008). The economic development did not benefit everyone, and most Irish people suffered due to the transfer of wealth from the poor to the richer classes (KENNEDY, 2003). With the increase in social inequality and the overvaluation of real estate, a housing crisis spread throughout the country and thousands became homeless (ROB KITCHIN ET AL., 2015). Thus, this research aims to answer how Vivarium (2019) represents the effects of socioeconomic transformations, especially the housing crisis of recent decades, on the Irish family institution. The overall objective is to develop an analysis — in light of the theoretical framework — for Vivarium (2019), highlighting sociocultural aspects related to Ireland portrayed in the film. The research method adopted is the content analysis (BARDIN, 1977). Furthermore, this study seeks to expand the research framework on Irish cinema, since there are still few studies on this topic.