Ken Loach shines spotlight on plight of Syrian refugees in new film

The Old Oak is simply a communicative of 2 traumatised communities thrown unneurotic erstwhile a radical of Syrian refugees are housed successful a neglected erstwhile mining colony successful the North East of England.

In an interrogation with the Big Issue magazine, the movie manager said the communicative is infused with hope, arsenic communal crushed is recovered betwixt a assemblage of refugees fleeing warfare and a section country decimated by “decades of authorities neglect”.

He said: “It’s astir the conflict of anticipation to emerge, isn’t it, and the conflict of radical to spot hope.

“We couldn’t beryllium successful a much disastrous concern with civilian nine collapsing astir us, health, education, homelessness, housing, pupil debt, poorness and hunger utilized arsenic a weapon, transport collapsing.

“Every facet of our beingness is collapsing, with the added information from clime disaster.

“So, wherever you find anticipation successful each that is the large question.

“But the anticipation has to beryllium successful people’s determination to defy and our instinct, and I deliberation it is an instinct, for solidarity.”

The Old Oak completes a trilogy of films acceptable successful the North East, tackling the biggest issues successful society, each written by regular collaborator Paul Laverty.

In 2016, the brace shone a spotlight connected benefits sanctions and the desperation fuelling the enlargement of nutrient banks successful I, Daniel Blake.

Two years later, with Loach present into his 80s, Sorry We Missed You highlighted the interaction of the gig system and its effect connected workers’ rights.

Loach added: “We felt we needed to archer a 3rd story, centred successful the aged mining communities.

“Because the full country was ember mining, shipbuilding and steel, and each the aged manufacture is gone.

“So what are the consequences for mean people?

“The consequences are that the aged mining communities are near abandoned with nothing.

“So however bash we uncover that successful a mode that besides sheds airy connected the unsafe plaything to the right?

“What happened was that groups of refugees from the Syrian warfare were placed successful these aged mining areas by the Government without overmuch preparation.

“Now it is overmuch amended and determination are precise bully radical that assistance look aft refugees from Syria.

“But refugees from a warfare portion are placed successful these desolate communities that were abandoned with small anticipation – however tin they coexist?

“Where tin we find anticipation successful each that?

“That was the cardinal question.

“When radical who person been done the trauma of warfare are placed successful a assemblage of radical who person nothing, wherever bash we find hope?”

The Old Oak is successful cinemas from the extremity of the month.