MOVIE | A Tale of a "Nameless Hero" Who Became a Legend in Ireland

Jimmy's Hall, the Latest Film from British Master Ken Loach

Jimmy's Hall, the latest film from British master Ken Loach, opens nationwide on Saturday, January 17th, at Shinjuku Piccadilly, Human Trust Cinema Yurakucho, and other theaters. This is a human drama that depicts a real-life "nameless hero" who became a beacon of hope for the people during a turbulent era in Ireland.

Text by YANAKA Tomomi

A Cast of Talented Irish Actors Assemble

Ken Loach, the "treasure of Britain," has won awards at the Cannes, Venice, and Berlin film festivals, including the Palme d'Or at the 57th Cannes Film Festival for The Wind That Shakes the Barley. He is also known for his gritty films about workers and immigrants since his manga debut in the late 1960s.

His heartwarming comedy The Angels' Share,The Angels' Shareabout a shot at redemption through Scotch whisky, was a smash hit in Japan in 2013, a memory that is still fresh.

Like The Wind That Shakes the Barley, one of Loach's masterpieces, this film is set against the backdrop of Ireland's turbulent modern history. It is a human drama that delves into the life of a former activist who was exiled from Ireland without trial. Barry Ward, a talented actor based in London, stars as Jimmy, imbuing the character with rich humanity.

The heroine is Simone Kirby, who appeared in the sequel to Alice in Wonderland. A host of other talented Irish actors also feature in the film.

Jimmy's Harsh Fate Awaits Upon His Return to His Homeland

Ireland, ten years after the end of the tragic civil war that divided the country in 1932. Jimmy Gralton, a former activist who had been in America, returns to his homeland for the first time in a decade. His wish is to live a peaceful life while caring for his elderly mother, Alice.

However, the villagers cannot leave Jimmy, who once commanded immense trust as a community leader, to his own devices. Gradually moved by the pleas of the village's young people, Jimmy's smoldering passion is reignited, and he decides to reopen the hall that served as a gathering place for the community.

The hall, built by Jimmy himself, was an irreplaceable place where people could learn arts and sports, discuss current affairs, and immerse themselves in song and dance. However, Jimmy's decision inadvertently leads to conflict with those who oppose it.

Loach's film resurrects Jimmy's selfless and noble spirit. And Jimmy, who conveyed the preciousness of freedom and the joy of life to the people, ironically faces a harsh fate of unreasonable oppression. We should embrace the message to us living today, sent by Loach, who has always focused his lens on the marginalized of society.



Jimmy's Hall
Opens nationwide on Saturday, January 17th, at Shinjuku Piccadilly, Human Trust Cinema Yurakucho, and other theaters.
Director | Ken Loach
Starring | Barry Ward, Simone Kirby, Andrew Scott, Jim Norton
Distribution | Longride
2014 / UK, Ireland, France / 109 min
http://www.jimmy-densetsu.jp/

© Sixteen Jimmy Limited, Why Not Productions, Wild Bunch, Element Pictures,France 2 Cinéma,Channel Four Television Corporation,the British Film Institute and Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board 2014