Not without justification as it turned out, before it aired, this programme was said to be sure to attract “critical acclaim” and indeed it is.

Samantha Morton’s directorial debut was remarkable in that her direction ensured that the entirety of the film was seen from Lucy’s – the main character, excellently played by Molly Windsor – perspective. It was filled with symbolism which, if done without the personal affect that Morton brought to this drama, might have been clichéd, but as the film drew on her own experiences as a child as well as fictional elements, the balance was just right… Read more & comment »

Oscar-nominated actress Samantha Morton makes her directorial debut for Channel 4 with The Unloved, a powerful single drama that gives an intimate child’s eye view of life in a children’s home.

The Unloved stars acclaimed actors Robert Carlyle and Susan Lynch alongside the two young leads – Molly Windsor as Lucy and Lauren Socha as Lauren – who were cast through a series of open auditions held across Nottingham schools, drama groups and at The Television Workshop (where Morton herself attended aged 12).

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