Film director Ken Loach to open new viewing room
Ken Loach, arguably Britain’s pre-eminent living director, will visit Keele University on Thursday, 20 November, to officially open a new viewing room in the Media Building and take part in a question and answer session, which is open to all.
Over a period of nearly 50 years Ken Loach has directed nearly 60 films, of which over 20 are theatrical features. Avowedly and unashamedly political, his films also succeed in being very emotional; his subject matter has always been deeply serious, although all his best work contains strong elements of humour - often of the darkest kind.
Perhaps still best known for two of his earliest films, Cathy Come Home (1966) and Kes (1969) Ken Loach continues to produce films of the highest quality, and, especially over the last 20 years he has been the recipient of many awards and enjoys a high international standing. Celebrated for their ‘docudrama’ qualities his work has always addressed a range of important topics, from homelessness (Cathy), through addiction and crime (My Name is Joe [1998] and Sweet Sixteen [2002]), to Union history and struggle (Days of Hope [1975] and Who’s Side Are You On? [1984]) and Internationalism (Land and Freedom [1995] and Carla’s Song [1996]).
His latest work combines many of these approaches and concerns in his analysis of the uses and abuses of immigrant labour, in It’s A Free World ... (2007). It’s not all doom and gloom, however, as in the comedies Looking for Eric (2009), ‘Eric’ referring both to an unemployed ‘postie’, and his ‘fantasy friend’, Eric Cantona, and The Angels’ Share (2012) about a heist at a whisky distillery.
The question and answer session takes place from 2.30 to 3.30 in the Westminster Theatre on the Keele campus.