The Old Oak – A Reel Alternatives Film Screening

In partnership with the Algonquin Theatre, Reel Alternatives, Huntsville’s connection to the TIFF Film Circuit, presents The Old Oak on Monday, May 13th. The film is generously sponsored by longtime Reel supporter, On The Docks Pub.

The future is uncertain for the Old Oak, the last remaining pub and last remaining social space in a quiet working class town in Northern England. While it was once a thriving mining community, years of neglect have left the town barren with empty homes on every street. These houses are cheap and available, making this town ideal for Syrian refugees. Racism and narrow-minded attitudes towards any newcomers are the standard in the town.

Tensions rise after a racist mob requests to use the back room of the Old Oak as a meeting place to air their grievances, but the owner, TJ Ballantyne (Dave Turner), refuses, knowing this will only encourage more hateful speech. Meanwhile, he strikes up a genuine friendship with one of the refugees, a young woman named Yara (Ebla Mari) who is bright, passionate, and interested in creating a life for herself in this new place.

The Old Oak is director Ken Loach’s self-reported final film and is infused with his signature social realism. A hopeful appeal to better natures, this film argues for compassion and solidarity in the face of racism and xenophobia.

“[Loach] could hardly have delivered a more resonant, timely or indeed angry swansong than this feature which takes up arms against the decay of national compassion.” –Jonathan Romney, Screen International

UNITED KINGDOM, FRANCE, BELGIUM, 2023
Director: Ken Loach
Principal Cast: Trevor Fox, Debbie Honeywood, Dave Turner
English, Arabic | 119 minutes
Content advisory: depictions of racism; violence; coarse language