- dir. Neil Jordan
- year. 1991
- country. UK
- run-time. 120 mins
- rating. 186
- £6 (£4.50 concs.)
* Unfortunately due to work commitments editor Kant Pan can no longer introduce the screening, however we will continue with our plan to screen the film.
Neil Jordan's hugely successful, Oscar-winning psychological thriller reaches its 25th anniversary this year, and we will be screening the new BFI bluray restoration of this taboo-busting cult hit. Jordan's script took home the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, with nominations also given to the film for Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Director and Best Film Editing.
Set during the politically-charged 'Troubles' when the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland was still years away, a British soldier Jody (Forest Whitaker) is kidnapped for ransom by the IRA. He strikes up an unlikely friendship with his soft-spoken captor, Fergus (Stephen Rea). But when the ransom ends in chaos, Fergus flees to London where he becomes embroiled in a unexpected love triangle with Dil (Jaye Davidson), Jody’s beautiful and mysterious girlfriend.
What has so far presented itself to viewers as a gritty political thriller then, gradually, becomes something much more; a guilt-tinged love story that, at the time, challenged mainstream sexual stereotypes and ideas of gender and identity.