28/06/2006

This past weekend Irish audiences flocked to see Ken Loach’s take on their 1920s War of Independence in his latest film The Wind That Shakes the Barley [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ken Loach
interview: Rebecca O’Brien
film profile], released in 60 cinemas nationwide by Pathe Distribution.

Supported by very positive reviews across the Irish press, the Palme d’Or winning film took the number one position in the Irish Republic for a total take of €363,060.

Scoring by far the best screen average of all new films released last weekend with €9,792, The Wind… took fifth place at the UK/Irish box office chart with a £390,720 (€565,153) gross from a total of 105 prints.

The €6.5m film is a European co-produced between Loach’s production company Sixteen Films, EMC Asset (Germany), Element Films (Ireland), Bianca Film/Bim Distribuzione (Italy) and Tornasol (Spain).

Diaphana in France will release the film on August 23.