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The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)

★ 7.5Not Rated127 minDirector: Ken Loach

2006 film directed by Ken Loach

The Wind That Shakes the Barley is a 2006 war drama film directed by Ken Loach, set during the Irish War of Independence (1919–1921) and the Irish Civil War (1922–1923). Written by Loach's long-time collaborator Paul Laverty, it tells the fictional story of two County Cork brothers, Damien (Cillian Murphy) and Teddy O'Donovan (Pádraic Delaney), who join the Irish Republican Army to fight for Irish independence from the United Kingdom, only for the two brothers to then find themselves on opposite sides during the subsequent Irish Civil War.

It takes its title from Robert Dwyer Joyce's "The Wind That Shakes the Barley", a song set during the 1798 rebellion in Ireland and featured early in the film.

Widely praised, the film won the Palme d'Or at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. Loach's biggest box office success as of 2007, the film did well around the world and set a record in Ireland as the highest-grossing Irish-made independent film, until surpassed by The Guard in 2011.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is The Wind That Shakes the Barley about?
The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006) — In 1920, rural Ireland is the vicious battlefield of republican rebels against the British security forces and Irish Unionist population who oppose them, a recipe for mutual cruelty. Medical graduate Damien O'Donovan always gave priority to his socialist ideals and simply helping
Is The Wind That Shakes the Barley based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is The Wind That Shakes the Barley scary?
Content rating: Not Rated. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.