The Old Oak has been released in Spanish cinemas to great public acclaim. Directed by Ken Loach, together with his regular screenwriter Paul Laverty, it won two awards at the 68th edition of the Seminci, the Audience Award and the Best Actor Award (for Dave Turner).
Starring Debbie Honeywood, Ebla Mari and Dave Turner, the film deals with the Syrian refugee crisis in a small British town with intelligence and lucidity.
Director Ken Loach himself explains that “we had made two films in the North East of England, I, Daniel Blake and Sorry We Missed You, stories of people trapped in this fractured society. Inevitably, both ended badly. Even so, we met many strong and generous people, responding to these dark times with courage and determination. We felt we had to make a third film that reflected that, but also didn’t minimise the difficulties people have to face and what this area has gone through in recent decades. There was another, longer story there to tell, and we thought we could find it.
The film tells the story of the future of the last remaining pub, The Old Oak, in a village in the North East of England, where people are leaving the land as the mines close. Houses are cheap and available, making it an ideal place for Syrian refugees.
