Versus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach

Year: 2016
Country: Great Britain
Director: Louise Osmond
Genre: documentary
Runtime: 93 min.
Age: 16+

Versus is a funny, provocative and revealing account of the life and career of one of Britain’s foremost filmmakers, Ken Loach, as he turns eighty and looks back at over fifty years of filmmaking.

Versus is a funny, provocative and revealing account of the life and career of one of Britain’s foremost filmmakers, Ken Loach, as he turns eighty and looks back at over fifty years of filmmaking.

Versus presents a surprisingly candid behind-the-scenes account of Ken Loach’s career as he prepares to release his latest feature film I, Daniel Blake, later this year. 

Director Louise Osmond was granted exclusive access on set and uses this as a starting point to look at Loach’s career, from his first job as understudy in a Kenneth Williams revue to ground-breaking TV dramas like Up The Junction and Cathy Come Home and later as an award- winning feature director of films like Kes, Riff-Raff, The Wind That Shakes the Barley, and The Angels’ Share. As well as inter-views with Loach, Osmond talks with a host of his friends, adversaries, actors and collaborators.

This year will see Ken Loach celebrate his 80th birthday, release his 50th major work and commemorate Cathy Come Home’s 50th anniversary in November.  VERSUS  is more than just a document of Loach’s work but a playful study on the process and struggles of creating such a unique body of work.

I, Daniel Blake won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.