Why is the film Elephant called that?
The title of the 2003 film written and directed by Gus Van Sant is a tribute to the 1989 BBC film of the same name which reflects on sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. It derives from a quote by Irish writer Bernard MacLaverty who described the Troubles as “like having an elephant in your living room, getting in the way of everything – but after a while you learn to live with it”.
