Kingdom of Us (2017)
Story overview
Kingdom of Us is a 2017 documentary that intimately explores how a family copes with profound loss and trauma. Following the Shanks family—a mother and her seven children—the film examines the aftermath of the father's suicide, which left them in financial distress. Through personal home videos and candid moments, it documents their emotional journey through grief, memory, and the gradual process of healing, offering a raw and honest look at resilience in the face of tragedy.
Parent Guide
A poignant documentary about family grief and recovery after a suicide, suitable for mature viewers due to its emotional depth and thematic content.
Content breakdown
No physical violence or peril depicted; the focus is on emotional aftermath rather than violent acts.
Themes of suicide, death, and financial ruin are central and may be disturbing, especially for sensitive viewers. Scenes include discussions of loss and emotional distress, but no graphic imagery.
Minimal strong language, if any; the documentary maintains a respectful tone with occasional emotional expressions.
No sexual content or nudity present.
No depiction of substance use.
High emotional intensity due to themes of suicide, grief, and family struggle. Viewers may experience sadness, empathy, or discomfort as the family processes trauma.
Parent tips
This documentary deals with mature themes including suicide, grief, and financial hardship, which may be distressing for younger viewers. It's best suited for older children and teens who can process complex emotions. Watch together to provide context and support, and be prepared to discuss mental health and family dynamics afterward. The content is emotionally intense but not graphic, focusing on personal stories rather than sensationalism.
Parent chat guide
Parent follow-up questions
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- What did you notice about how the family helped each other?
- How do you think the children felt when they watched old home movies?
- Why do you think the family shared their story in this documentary?
- What are some ways people can cope with sad or difficult feelings?
- How did the film show that memories can be both happy and sad?
- How does the film portray the long-term impact of trauma on a family?
- What role does financial stress play in the family's grief process?
- In what ways did the documentary approach the topic of suicide responsibly?
- How can communities better support families dealing with similar situations?
🎭 Story Kernel
The film's core theme is the excavation of a psychological void left by suicide. It's not about the act itself, but the forensic process of memory that follows. The characters are driven by the desperate, often contradictory, need to reconstruct a man they loved but fundamentally failed to understand. The narrative engine is the family's attempt to assemble a coherent narrative from the fragments of videos, voicemails, and conflicting recollections, revealing that grief is less about loss and more about the terrifying realization of how little we truly know those closest to us. The real tension stems from their struggle to reconcile the loving father and husband with the man who chose to leave them.
🎬 Visual Aesthetics
The visual language is one of intimate intrusion. Handheld camerawork creates a raw, unsteady proximity, making the viewer a reluctant participant in the family's raw grief. The color palette is dominated by muted, naturalistic tones—greys, blues, and washed-out greens—mirroring the emotional numbness. Archival home videos provide stark, bright contrast, serving as painful relics of a perceived happiness. There's a deliberate lack of stylistic flourish; the camera often lingers on empty spaces and silent reactions, making the absence of the father a tangible, visual presence. The composition frequently frames family members isolated within the shot, visually underscoring their individual, incommunicable pain.
🔍 Details & Easter Eggs
💡 Behind the Scenes
Director Lucy Cohen spent over seven years with the family, filming intermittently to capture the non-linear, real-time process of grief. The film is constructed entirely from this verité footage and the family's own vast archive of home videos, with no interviews or external commentary. The children were given agency in the filming process, sometimes choosing what to discuss or film themselves. This collaborative, longitudinal approach resulted in a rare documentary that feels less like an observation and more like an immersion, with the trust built over years evident in the film's unguarded moments.
Where to watch
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Trailer
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