British Director Ken
Loach has won the top Cannes prize with his film :
The Wind That Shakes The Barley. The film recounts
the early days of the Irish Republican Army in the
1920s and the struggle for independence from Britain.
Ireland 1919: workers from field
and country unite to form volunteer guerrilla armies
to face the ruthless 'Black and Tan' squads that are
being shipped from Britain to block Ireland's bid
for independence. Driven by a deep sense of duty and
a love for his country, Damien abandons his burgeoning
career as a doctor and joins his brother, Teddy, in
a dangerous and violent fight for freedom.
As the freedom fighters' bold tactics bring the British
to breaking point, both sides finally agree to a treaty
to end the bloodshed. But despite the apparent victory,
civil war erupts and families who fought side by side
find themselves pitted against one another as sworn
enemies, putting their loyalties to the ultimate test.
Loach revisits Irish story.
More on the film on the BBC site. Click
here
Details on the film 'The Wind that shakes the
Barley' in Time Out. Click
here
(actor Cillian Murphy)
Credits, actors, synopsis, clips, Cannes press conference
on the Festival de Cannes official website. Click
here
Five extracts of the film 'The Wind that shakes
the Barley' on Allocine site (after the ads...)
Click
here
See an interview with Ken Loach on the BBC site. Click
here
The wind that shakes the barley (a traditional Irish song)
The title of the film comes from a traditional Irish song called: The wind that shakes the barley. Get the lyrics and listen to
a sample of the traditional Irish song (as
sung by Dick Gaughan):
'The wind that shakes the barley'. Click
here to get the lyrics.
(actor Cillian Murphy)
