THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY (2006)

Cast

Plot

Returning to the topic of The Troubles, after his 1990 effort Hidden Agenda, Ken Loach has confirmed his place as a Grand Old Duke of British Cinema with the Palme d'Or winning 'The Wind That Shakes The Barley'. Leaving his traditional hunting ground of contemporary urban environs Loach takes us to Eire, in the 1920s, and to labourers joining forces to oust the British 'Black and Tan' soldiers sent in to crush the rebellion. Brothers Damien and Teddy join forces in the battle, Damien sacrificing his professional future in order to do so, but after the smoke of victory settles, new tensions begin to appear between the winning factions and a whole new era in the struggle for Irish independence begins. Loach's personalisation of the political is made all the better by his well-honed talent at breathing vitality into past conflicts and the lives that fuel them. Check out the excellent Land And Freedom for further proof of Ken's talents in this area.