THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY TO BE RELEASED IN US CINEMAS THIS WEEKEND
Irish Civil War film THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY which won the prestigious Palm d'Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival last year, will be released in US cinemas this weekend by IFC.THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY directed by Ken Loach stars Cillian Murphy (Batman, Breakfast On Pluto), Liam Cunningham (Breakfast on Pluto, Showbands) and rising star Padraic Delaney, in the lead roles.
Funded by Board Scannán na hÉireann / the Irish Film Board (BSÉ/IFB), this award winning frilm become the highest grossing independent* Irish film ever released at the Irish box office. Barley over €2.7 million at the Irish box office surpassing recent major Irish hits INTERMISSION, which took €2.5 million in 2003 and MAN ABOUT DOG, which took €2.1 million at the Irish box office in 2004.
Scripted by Paul Laverty, THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY begins in 1919 and tells the story of two brothers who fought together during the Irish war of Independence. They then find themselves pitted against each other as civil war ensues and betrayal becomes inevitable. The film was shot on location in Cork and Kerry for seven weeks and location highlights include Bandon Town, Mallow, Buttevant, Coolea and Killarney.
THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY is an Irish-UK-Italian-German-Spanish co-production which was produced by Sixteen Films and Irish company Element Films. The film had a production budget of approximately €6.5 million and had an Irish spend of almost €4 million. The film was produced with financing from the Irish Film Board, the UK Film Council and TV3, amongst others, and is being distributed by Pathé in Ireland and the UK.