Beasts of the Southern Wild (Benh Zeitlin) is set in posts Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana and features the life of those who survived the hurricane and now live in the 'bath tub'. The lifestyle these people live contrasts that of the ones people have in the capitalist society in the US and the general western world. This film criticises the capitalist ideology and depicts it as 'inhumane' and detached from nature. the film also rejects the idea that materialism is the key to happiness.
The film is considered experimental because of the way it breaks away from the 'norm' of hollywood cinema and its capitalist ideology. This portrayal of ideology is achieved by having the people who live on the 'bath tub' celebrate their lives and be happy despite their poverty setting which directly juxtaposes the one we live in. The main character in the BOTSW, HushPuppy, delivers the films key message and ideology in many ways. one of these ways being through narration. She says that those who live on the other side of the Levee are 'babies'. this is a criticism of the 'safe' and 'un-natural' lifestyle that people in capitalistic societies live in. Mise en scene help the audience make comparisons and help differentiate between the 'bath tub' and their own lives.
The shot in the opening sequence from BOTSW where HushPuppy and her father, Wink, are in the boat made from an old car, highlights the difference between their lifestyle and ours. The factories which are black and grey contrast the nature setting where the two characters are which is green and pleasant. This can also be read as a criticism of capitalism as those factories are killing nature and invading the land where Hushpuppy and Wink live.
Casting an young black girl as the protagonist is unusual for hollywood film and is another example of how the film is considered to be experimental. HushPuppy is shown to have an affinity with nature, something that people in the capitalist society lacks. The theme of nature is also important for criticising capitalism as it kills nature. The American ideology, 'Manifest Destiny' is also heavily criticised as it promotes exploring nature and 'taming' or farming on it for its resources and money potential which is essentially destroying it in the name of capitalism.
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