Director Thomas Clay makes an astonishing debut with this tale of disaffected youth in a grim Northern town. Focussing on a group of friends, Clay’s film charts their path from petty crime to fully-fledged acts of sexual violence. The Great Ecstasy Of Robert Carmichael is as thought-provoking, as it is controversial, with it being compared to the likes of Requiem For A Dream and Irreversible.