I know what your thinking and no, not that Steve McQueen; they haven’t brought him back in full CG for a new film. I am talking about the first time English director who happens to share the late star’s name.
McQueen’s film Hunger has been generating some good buzz at Cannes and I fight caught wind of it listening to IFC’s Cannes dispatch. The film stars Micheal Fassbender as Bobby Sands, the famed IRA member who led the 1981 hunger strike, in which Irish Republican prisoners were seeking to regain status as political prisoners, and retells the last six weeks of his life.
I was curious hearing the set-up of the film which I took to understand includes extended scenes of silence bookending a long take in the middle in which Sands plots out his plan for the hunger strike. There are a number of reviews out there for the film and most of them suggest this is a film to watch.
Hunger was picked up by IFC Films so we can expect to see it roll out, likely in limited release, later this year. I managed to track down a big chunk of the trailer for the film which I’ve included below. The quality isn’t very good and it stops abruptly with no ending to be found but for the time being, it certainly gives you an idea of what to expect and it certainly looks excellent. I’ll update the post once a full trailer emerges.
Trailer is tucked under the seat!
As long as we all think carefullly while making our choices, all will be well…..
It is astounding that this is his first film, I’m calling it: McQueen is the next Greengrass, it won’t be long before he is given the opportunities to helm blockbusters. There are narrative strategies in this film I want to talk about but it is all spoiler now since no one has seen it. Growing in esteem the more I think about this film. Is it disqualified from best foreign film at the Oscars because it has to be foreign language? Irish might as well be a foreign language, blimey.
One of the big Buzz films coming into Toronto, leaves with even more buzz. I’m sorry I missed this (along with OHorton and Fear Me Not), but It looks like it shouldn’t be to hard to find soon.
What’s with IFC? Them and WILD BUNCH went on major buying sprees over the festival. Hopefully these two smaller companies can mount half decent theatrical releases for some of their acquisitions.
I’ve been impressed with the recent IFC offerings but one distributor that continually manages to deliver solid, “cerebral” films throughout the year is Sony Pictures Classics.
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