What clues are there to why this (I, Daniel Blake) is an independent film ?

 One key clue to why 'I, Daniel Blake' is an independent film is the limited star cast/ famous actors or actresses. The main actors are Hayley Squires and Dave Johns who haven't be involved in any wide known or mainstream productions. The movie is set Britain, it tells the story of a 59 years old widowed carpenter who must rely on welfare after a recent heart attack leaves him unable to work. Despite his doctor's diagnosis, British authorities deny Blake's benefits and tell him to return to his job. As Daniel navigates his way through an agonising appeal process, he begins to develop a strong bond with a destitute, single mother who's struggling to take care of her two children. The movie's genre is drama, which is mainly viewed in most of the independent films' story lines. Through out the move, the main character meets many challenges, which most of the times are closely linked with realistic situations from unusual everyday life. The movie intends to challenge , inform and educate its audience of the types of difficulties that an ordinary person can cross. In the trailer we can see that all of the movie's sets are shoot on location, the office, his working place, and the typical British narrow streets. This lowers productions value, as the production crew can film different shots for lower price (not hiring professional movie sets indoors). The outdoor movie scenes allows a more realistic feeling over the story line and makes the audience to relate easier. The natural lighting and the dark grey colours represent the movie's genre (drama) and the place that the film is set in (Britain, stereotypically linked with gloomy weather). 'I, Daniel Blake' have less entertainment values than an ordinary mainstream movie, because of its narrative theme and story line. The movie focuses on more serious and real life problems which many people are facing in the real life, while many mainstream movies are based on fictional characters and words which entertains younger audience. This independent movie is targeting the adults and elderly people, because the main characters represent these age groups, but on the other hand the movie is published in Netflix, which can attract younger audience to watch it, because the platform is free and easily to approach. The movie is selected by the well known Cannes film festival, which approaches middle age people, or those who are interested in independent movies' sphere.