Up until a year or so ago, the only way an English-speaking only movie fan could enjoy a film in Cannes was during the wildly crowded and frenetic Cannes Film Festival. As one who loves going to movies and loves spending time on the Riviera, I always viewed this fact of Cannes life as a pity.But now, there is a small art house, just off the Rue d’Antibes which has three rooms or “salles” showing movies in their original language with French subtitles. I’ve found that, at any given moment, there is likely to be two English-language films being presented; generally of the “art” variety or what seems to be the accepted appellation of today — independent films.

The beginnings of Irish resistance to British rule.

This past Sunday at 5:00pm we saw this year’s winner of the Palme d’Or (the top prize of the Cannes Film Festival) – “The Wind That Shakes the Barley” – another stunning achievement from director Ken Loach.Loach’s biography is so impressive alongside an unassailable, artistic integrity that, in my view anyway, he is an undeniable giant in an industry that so often celebrates and rewards mediocrity.Just a few of Ken Loach’s films or movies that have blown my mind include “My Name Is Joe,” and “Land and Freedom” (another Palm d’Or winner).

Other great movies from Ken Loach.

“The Wind That Shakes The Barley” is another look at the Irish “troubles” chronicling the challenges and decisions of a family and their friends in the 1920’s as they witness death and torture, battle the Black and Tans, form and/or join the IRA while enduring horrific loss. Ultimately they win a pyrrhic victory but become violently divided themselves over the issues surrounding the decision to divide Ireland.As is so often the case for me when I experience a Ken Loach artistic statement in this medium that he has so mastered, I feel both an ineffable sadness as well as close to unbridled joy at the courage, strength and resilience as well as the wickedness of all our brothers and sisters.“The Wind That Shakes the Barley” brought me to tears more than once – Loach movies always seem to do that for me – but it drove me to think a lot about two statements from two friends that always stay close to my heart.

James Lee Burke and Northrop Frye.

James Lee Burke – American novelist – says that “the story never changes, it’s always the same” and Northrop Frye – Canadian literary critic – says “the story is us”.For this reason, this “Report from Cannes” will focus upon another powerful cinematic statement about us – “Paradise Now”.PS. There are many fine movies about Ireland and these struggles – as far as I’m concerned all noted below are well worth seeing: “The Informer”, “Michael Collins”, “The Crying Game”, and “Angela’s Ashes”.

Movie Review:

Paradise Now

Directed by Hany Abu-Assad — Warner Independent Pictures 2005
Starring: Kais Nashef and Ali Suliman

This small independent film shot in Palestine on a miniscule budget is quite an achievement. We are taken, very convincingly, into the minds of two young Palestinians who are about to become suicide bombers. Their suicide mission is scheduled for that day – the fundamental time period of the film.The situation is all too believable, the acting solid and the tension is ‘ticking’ away from the first moments. What’s remarkable is that this movie not only succeeds in rendering the plight of the Palestinian refugee pitiful and their resulting rage and hatred understandable; but puts forward a believable scenario where it is also understandable that, like the Irish ‘martyrs’ in “The Wind That Shakes The Barley”, the use of terror and violence is justified. The bane of the Western World – the suicide bomber - is explained satisfactorily.

Saïd and Khaled discuss what they perceive to be a dismal future.

The following pieces of dialogue from “Paradise Now” could just as easily have been heard in the Loach film (or from the American Revolution).      “There can be no freedom without struggle”      “Do we accept this injustice?”      “Death is better than inferiority”      “A life without dignity is worthless”      “(the suicide mission) is our only effective weapon”This powerful work is rife with such human characteristics in genuine expressions such as fear, love, anger, fallibility, despair and grief to name a few. “Paradise Now” is a fine human statement.Being of an Irish Catholic upbringing in a second generation Canadian home, I am very familiar with the championing of the IRA and its tactics along with the terms “martyr” and “collaborator.” It’s easy for me to cheer inside when Liam Neeson, as Michael Collins in the film of the same name, institutes the terror strategy of the IRA on the streets of Dublin when he assassinates a public official in broad daylight. But do I cheer inside when our co-protagonist in "Paradise Now" detonates his bomb while on the crowded bus in Tel-Aviv? No, I would be horrified, but nevertheless, a vital question!

The movie ends with Saïd on a Tel-Aviv bus, just prior to what we assume will be
the detonation of the bomb.

In 1996, I was in Jerusalem about to direct a documentary film when I wandered into a virtually empty Old Jerusalem (the Walled City) very early on a Sabbath morning. I eventually came to the Wailing Wall and the Dome of the Rock where I encountered a friendly and helpful Arab man who showed me into the Mosque where we prayed together.

The most sacred spot in Jerusalem — the former site of the Temple of Solomon,
and the current site of the Dome of the Rock.

Upon exiting, he asked if there was anything else he could help me with and I replied that I was very interested in seeing the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus pleaded with God the Father to have “this cup pass on.”

The Garden of Gethsemane.

The Arab man, who was very large and muscular, said that it was nearby and he would take me there – we just had to walk a very short distance down this wooded hill. When we entered the wooded area, he grabbed me from behind in a strangle hold and force marched me to a waiting and idling Volkswagen bus which was being driven by his son who looked to be about twelve years old and trembling with fear. I was thrown into the bus and we took off into the Arab section of Jerusalem. Due to the obvious fear of the young boy, I became quite anxious myself, worrying that physical harm to myself could be possible.

The Walled City of Old Jerusalem.

But my abductor spoke excellent English and his overall demeanor pleasant (other than the undeniable fact that he had just kidnapped me in one of the most dangerous parts of the world) so I had high hopes that I would be able to negotiate my release. It turned out that I had close to $1000 in cash on my person (production expenses, etc.) and it proved sufficient. They even drove me back into the Jewish part of the city and dropped me off two blocks from my hotel — thus ending my short but scary, personal foray into the Middle East mess!But it was a desperate and dangerous move on their part and now, 11 years later, how much more desperate and angry are they? Could that 12 year old now be a suicide bomber? He just looked like any 12 year old boy – but terrified, and doing exactly what he was told to do!If we take seriously the contention by James Lee Burke that “the story never changes” or the statement by Northrop Frye that “the story is us”, then our outlook is very dim indeed.Our victories are somebody else’s defeats, our justice is somebody else’s injustice and our struggles are somebody else’s murders or vicious slaughters.

Injustice and Revenge.

“The Wind That Shakes The Barley” and “Paradise Now”, as excellent art and fiction always do, force us to look into ourselves and, after being entertained possibly, we move on to consider solutions – apparently not yet very successfully!But we require these artists to continue to bludgeon and/or caress our minds and our sensibilities until palatable and attractive creations like these hijack our hearts and souls into such considerations.Don’t miss either movie.