‘They missed a special opportunity’: Ken Loach complains Your Party is in conflict | Cannes Film Festival

Ken Loach has charged Your party destroying the chance to unite the left against the right after the leading party formed by former Labor members Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana. dealing with conflicts.

“There was great hope when Jeremy Corbyn is Zarah Sultana cooperation; “800,000 people showed interest – this is three times the size of a political party,” he said.

The British film director and former friend of Corbyn spoke to the Guardian ahead of the Cannes film premiere. Country and Freedom – 31 years after the Spanish Civil War drama premiered on the Croisette.

The film follows a British communist who travels to Spain in anticipation of a war against fascism, only to encounter bitter divisions between opposing left-wing factions – tensions Loach believes are still relevant today.

He said: “The left divide was very important for us to explore in this film.

Loach, who was He was expelled from the Labor party in 2021 after refusing to protest against some of the expelled members, he said that the main political parties had started adopting a far-right slogan. “The Conservative leadership uses the same language as Nigel Farage, and the Labor right responds,” he said.

“People who have nothing are always criticized, and people who got rich from the schemes run away. They are now giving money to the right. Farage is £5m it’s just the tip of the iceberg.”

Loach remains critical of Keir Starmer’s leadership, describing the current state of affairs as “time for thieves to fall”.

“It’s no wonder people have turned against the Starmer government. They can’t communicate, that’s the wrong way to do politics. Tony Blair did terrible things, but he had a gift for communicating with people,” he said.

“There is no union with the trade union or the interests of the working people. They will do everything in their power to keep Andy Burnham out of a job because he is just too far left.”

Land and Freedom, which won Cannes’ Fipresci international critics’ prize and the Ecumenical jury’s prize in 1995, has been restored in 4K and will be shown at the festival. Beach Cinema strand on Tuesday.

Loach, who turns 90 next month, is the most nominated and decorated director in Cannes history. He had 15 films in competition and won two Palme d’Or, because The Wind That Shakes the Barley and I, Daniel Blake. His long-time collaborator, screenwriter Paul Laverty, is a member of the jury for this year’s competition.

“It’s amazing to be back with this film,” Loach said. “This is close to the first war against fascism. When we did this, our feeling was that fascism would never come again. And now, of course, we are looking to the right again, but they don’t come in jackboots this time, they come differently.”

Loach said the film’s themes – racism, division and economic insecurity – have struck a chord across Europe.

“The language they use against immigrants, the racism, the scapegoating while refusing to look at the problems that are causing poverty and war… it blames the fear and insecurity that people feel, it creates confusion.”

The director criticized his fellow filmmakers who argue that cinema should be separate from politics, citing Wim Wenders’ comments at this year’s Berlinale.

“I was very upset to see my friend Wim Wenders say that filmmakers should leave politics,” Loach said. “The problems people face are determined by the political choices we have, and the political power we have. So politics is very important in filmmaking. Filmmakers must be witnesses of our times.”

Loach said outrage over Israel’s war in Gaza had fueled political mobilization around the world, while putting outspoken artists at risk of their jobs.

“The more people talk about it, the more courageous they become, because it can affect your career.”