THEME EXPLORATION

orphaned protagonist

12 films · 3 directors

Tracing the thread…

FILMS THAT EXPLORE THIS
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Bourne Ultimatum
2007 · Paul Greengrass
Shrek
Shrek
2001 · Andrew Adamson & Vicky Jenson
Fifty Shades of Grey
Fifty Shades of Grey
2015 · Sam Taylor-Johnson
Tapage Nocturne
Tapage Nocturne
1979 · Catherine Breillat
Whiskey with Vodka
Whiskey with Vodka
2009 · Andreas Dresen
Hellboy
Hellboy
2004 · Guillermo del Toro
Rear Window
Rear Window
1954 · Alfred Hitchcock
A Child of the Ghetto
A Child of the Ghetto
1910 · D.W. Griffith
Anybody Here Seen Kelly?
Anybody Here Seen Kelly?
1928 · William Wyler
Au Bonheur des Dames
Au Bonheur des Dames
1930 · Julien Duvivier
A Woman’s Story
A Woman’s Story
1963 · Mikio Naruse
Come Drink With Me
Come Drink With Me
1966 · King Hu
DIRECTORS WHO EXPLORE THIS
Hayao Miyazaki Japan

His films frequently feature orphaned protagonists (Chihiro, Ashitaka, Kiki) discovering identity and resilience through magical worlds that mirror their emotional journeys.

 Guillermo del Toro Mexico

He consistently explores orphaned and displaced characters navigating dark fantasy worlds as metaphors for loss, belonging, and the search for family across films like Pan's Labyrinth and The Shape of Water.

 Peyton Reed United Kingdom

His neorealist masterpiece The Third Man and films like Oliver! deeply examine orphaned protagonists confronting moral complexity and survival in corrupt, indifferent urban landscapes.