The Wind That Shakes the Barley poster

The Wind That Shakes the Barley

War has cost them their innocence... Freedom will cost them their blood.

7.3(937)20062h 7m4

In 1920s Ireland young doctor Damien O'Donovan prepares to depart for a new job in a London hospital. As he says his goodbyes at a friend's farm, British Black and Tans arrive, and a young man is killed. Damien joins his brother Teddy in the Irish Republican Army, but political events are soon set in motion that tear the brothers apart.

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Status
Released
Budget
$6.5M
Box office
$22.9M
Language
Irish
  • guerrilla warfare
  • civil war
  • sibling relationship
  • england
  • underground
  • resistance
  • peace
  • independence
  • traitor
  • mercenary
  • british army
  • british empire

Top billed cast

Behind the camera

Director

Ken Loach

Produced in

Ireland, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain

Gallery

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Videos

Release dates

  • United StatesUS

    • Theatrical (limited)NR16 Mar 2007
    • TheatricalNR23 Mar 2007
  • United KingdomGB

    • Theatrical1523 Jun 2006
  • AustraliaAU

    • PremiereSydney Film Festival25 Jun 2006
  • CanadaCA

    • PremiereToronto International Film Festival7 Sept 2006
  • BrazilBR

    • Theatrical13 Apr 2007
  • ChinaCN

    • PremiereShanghai International Film Festival15 Jun 2026
  • CzechiaCZ

    • Theatrical11 Jan 2007
  • EstoniaEE

    • PremiereTallinn Black Nights Film Festival3 Dec 2006
  • FranceFR

    • PremiereCannes Film Festival18 May 2006
    • TheatricalTP23 Aug 2006
    • Physical8 Mar 2007
  • IcelandIS

    • PremiereIceland International Film Festival31 Aug 2006
  • IrelandIE

    • Theatrical15A23 Jun 2006
  • ItalyIT

    • TheatricalVM 1410 Nov 2006

Frequently asked questions

The Wind That Shakes the Barley was released on 23 June 2006.

Audience reviews

3
  • A

    Andres Gomez

    9/27/2013

    8/10

    Intense drama about Ireland's independence from the UK and the ultimate reasons for the need of freedom.

  • T

    tmdb28039023

    9/3/2022

    6/10

    After watching The Wind That Shakes the Barley, I'm tempted to say that Hollywood ruined Cillian Murphy, but the fact is that this drama written by Paul Laverty and directed by Ken Loach doesn’t really establish, for better or worse, a before and after in the career of the Irish actor; it's more a case of a blind squirrel finding a nut — which is still one more nut than most find (plus, Murphy's range is undeniable, …

  • C

    CinemaSerf

    3/26/2023

    6/10

    Though quite provocative, I was really disappointed with the anti-British simplicity of this drama. It all centres around two brothers - "Teddy" (Pádraic Delaney) and "Damien" (Cillian Murphy) and the increasingly desperate - and violent - tactics they employed to eject the occupiers from their country. The latter man is not an instant convert to these activities. About to travel to the UK to be a doctor, it's the th…

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