The wind that shakes the barley (2006
Directed by Ken Loach
129 minutes // In English with English subtitles

Doors open: 19:30 hrs
Film starts: 20:00 hrs

Set in 1920, Ken Loach's gripping historical piece emotionally documents the British occupation of Ireland, and the bloodshed that ensued. Our main character Damien is about to set off to London to train as a doctor, but when a young boy in his village is brutally killed by British soldiers, he finds himself caught up in a whirlwind of events that he can't turn his back on. It's generally considered to be one of director Ken Loach's finest films.

What started off as a war for independence, would soon explode into a Civil War dividing the country. A massive amount of bloodshed, and a lot of confusion set the society on fire... it was an issue that smashed friendships and created divisions within families. Director Ken Loach doesn't simplify the situation for us, he throws us right into the thick of it, into the complexity, forcing us to make ethical decisions about what is right or wrong. The whole idea of violence in the first place becomes a crucial issue, and this movie could easily be seen as an anti-war film in that light. But it's also true that for some viewers it may be a call to arms.

This is a movie about ideas and emotions, and it is meant to engage you with its fiery cinematic thrust. It's an experience you can't shake off easily after you've seen it, and some passages will haunt you for the rest of your life. Winner of the Palme d'Or at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.