St. John’s Picturehouse: The Old Oak

The St John’s Reading Group on Health Inequalities in collaboration with the St John’s Picturehouse presents a screening of The Old Oak (2023).

This latest offering from the veteran director Ken Loach was short listed in the recent BAFTAS for best English film and follows Reading Group presentations of his I Daniel Blake  (2017 BAFTA outstanding British Film)  and Sorry We Missed You ( 2019 Gaudí Award for Best European Film).

Followed by  discussion - led by guest speakers - on the change to mining towns  after mine closures in the 1980s, the status of refugees in this context, and the relevance to inequalities in health and the north/south divide 1984-2024.

Viewers may also wish to see the extraordinary "Miners’ Strike: A Frontline Story" BBC Two and BBC iPlayer (first shown Sunday 18 February 2024 at 9pm)

Commentators:

Zeina Al Azmeh - Centenary Research Fellow at Selwyn College, Cambridge

Affiliated Lecturer at the Department of Sociology, University of Cambridge

Research Associate at the Centre of Governance & Human Rights (CGHR)

Paul Bennett - Educated and grew up in the coal mining fraternity in Colville North West Leicestershire. Involved in managing mine closure and job loss and experienced the impact on local communities.

All films are shown with a cinema-grade DCP projector and events are open to all. Open to all University members, family and staff  tickets from £4. Doors open 6pm last entry 6:15 doors shut 10pm

Further information and tickets