Film: The Old Oak
27 August | 8:00 pm
Tickets €5.50 (plus €1.50 booking fee per ticket)
Access cinema | Ken Loach, UK, 2023, 113 mins, 15A
In a former mining community in Durham, The Old Oak pub is the last remaining social refuge for many of its regulars. Owner TJ is an active volunteer, helping local charities deliver supplies to families in need. When Syrian refugees arrive in town, TJ befriends Yara – a talented photographer and advocate for her fellow Syrians. However, TJ’s welcoming approach towards the new arrivals leads to tensions with some of his pub’s loyal patrons.
Ken Loach directs this timely drama that argues passionately in favour of social solidarity and inclusion. Loach and his regular screenwriter Paul Laverty refuse to tone down the complexity of the situations portrayed – for TJ, doing the right thing comes at great personal cost. Starring: Dave Turner, Ebla Mari, Claire Rogerson, Trevor Fox.