Winter’s Bone (Debra Granik, 2010) is an independent drama film based on a 2006 novel of the same name by Daniel Woodrell. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010, the film won both the Grand Jury Prize, alongside the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. The film also received two 2011 Oscar nominations – Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film also kickstarted the acting careers of both Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes, who both received Academy Award nominations for their performances in the film.
The film’s director, Debra Granik, is an American independent filmmaker known for directing films including her debut, Down to the Bone (2004) and most recently Leave No Trace (2018). Considered a leading voice in independent cinema, Granik’s films often explore themes of poverty and working-class life, with Winter’s Bone being no exception. The film was widely praised for its naturalistic performances and filmmaking techniques.
Winter’s Bone was produced by Granik and Anne Rossellini through their production company, Anonymous Content. The film’s budget was $2 million, which after multiple failed attempts to finance was provided by a private equity deal. The film grossed $6 million at the box office, tripling its budget. The film was shot on location in the Ozarks of southern Missouri. Many of the supporting roles that spear in the film were first-time actors from the surrounding area, and each home seen within the film were already established – no sets were built. Granik kept most of the existing aesthetics within the homes, with added props being provided by the Ozark people in the community.
Winter’s Bone also features a score predominantly made up of gospel, traditional folk, and bluegrass music, alongside an original soundtrack composed by Dickon Hinchcliffe. The score, particularly the main theme “Didn’t Leave Nobody but the Baby” serves to accentuate the rural environment of the Ozarks, reinforcing the themes of poverty and self-sufficiency. Hinchcliffe’s original compositions aids the film in creating a sense of foreboding and unease, heightening the tension as Ree searches for her father.
The film’s cinematographer, Michael McDonough utilised a notably muted colour palette throughout the film, emphasising the rugged rurality of the mountainous Ozark region. Handheld cameras were employed throughout the film, building scenes from single perspectives in order to create a sense of realism.
Otis Morley’s A-Level Film Studies Blog 