With most major American films, when you ask what was their purpose in being, the answer would most definitely be for entertainment purposes. Just to keep the audience happy for two hours. Well, there are lots of forms of entertainment available for people in life in general. But the cinema to Mr. Techine is something more serious. Its purpose is artistic.
Life is conflict.
And it is only when we are dead that conflict ceases. And what he is interested in is showing people who are absolutely alive and therefore in conflict. In conflict with their society, with their times, and even their own family. And if there is no conflict, there can not be a story. Happiness need not be told.