The Wind That Shakes the Barley

Two Irish brothers fight side by side against British rule, until civil war forces them to choose between country and their own flesh and blood.

Director:
Ken Loach

Genre:
Historical Drama

Year:
2006

Duration:
127 minutes

Rating:
16+

Country:
Ireland, UK

Language:
English, Irish Gaelic

Subtitling:
Arabic

Screenplay: Paul Laverty

Cast: Cillian Murphy, Pádraic Delaney, Liam Cunningham, Orla Fitzgerald, Mary Riordan

Cinematography: Barry Ackroyd

Editing: Jonathan Morris

Production: Rebecca O'Brien (Sixteen Films, Element Films)

Awards: Palme d'Or -- Cannes Film Festival -- Cannes, France -- 2006 | Best European Film -- Goya Awards -- Madrid, Spain -- 2007 | Audience Award -- San Sebastián International Film Festival -- San Sebastián, Spain -- 2006

Début Status: Jordanian Première

Synopsis

Ireland, 1920. As the War of Independence erupts, young doctor Damien abandons his plans to work in London and joins his brother Teddy in the fight against British forces. United in battle, the brothers grow into skilled guerrilla fighters. But when a treaty is signed and civil war erupts, their shared cause fractures. Once comrades, they find themselves on opposing sides of a brutal conflict.

Director’s biography

Ken Loach is a renowned British filmmaker celebrated for his socially conscious and politically charged films. Born in 1936 in Nuneaton, England, Loach studied law at Oxford before pursuing a career in television and cinema. Over five decades, his work has highlighted themes of social justice, inequality, and human resilience. His films, including The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006), which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, and I, Daniel Blake (2016), have garnered international acclaim. Known for his naturalistic style and empathetic storytelling, Loach remains a leading voice in contemporary cinema and an advocate for the underprivileged.