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Grim true story of life in Northern Ireland’s Maze Prison during 1981’s hunger strike, led by Bobby Sands. Directed by Steve McQueen (not that one!), it is a chilling, upsetting and fascinating look at how far human’s go to fight for a cause and get their voices heard. Makes you savour every precious mouthful of popcorn. Yummy.

Steve McQueen talks...

Turner Prize winning artist Steve McQueen talks about his directorial debut and his reasons for making this film at this point in time.

This is your first film, why did you choose this particular subject?
When I was a child growing up in 1982, aged about eleven or twelve, there were three things that influenced me: the Brixton riots, Tottenham winning the FA Cup - which was fantastic - and Bobby Sands. His image appeared on the TV screen virtually every night with a number underneath it and it stayed with me… that passion and that level of confrontation to die on hunger strike. This memory and this opportunity drew me to dins out more about him and I thought it could be a powerful film.

The film is surprisingly balanced view of events, what made you choose to do that?
It is important to me that the events are shown through the eyes if both prisoners and prison officers. In Hunger, there is no simplistic notion of ‘hero’ or ‘martyr’ or ‘victim’. My intention is to provoke debate in the audience, to challenge our own morality through film.

Where did you film?
Originally we wanted to film in the H Block, but that was not possible. However it was essential that we filmed in Northern Ireland, using Northern Irish crew and cast. What became apparent was how so many people had been touched but this story and it was quite remarkable how everyone knew where they were when Bobby Sands died.

The film is very beautiful but at the same time grim, how did you capture that?
When you look at Velasquez or a Goya painting, the composition of the image holds your gaze – their painting has an attractive-ness and a questioning. What you are attracted to you can also be repulsed by.

As an artist you’re used to working alone, how was it working with a team?
At first it was difficult and I’d get irritated but this is what I want to do – I think I’m a team player. Of course there needs to be a leader of that team, but that’s not what interests me. All these people are here to make your movie and it gets to the situation where it’s not your movie, but I’s their movie too, so there’s a wonderful feeling where you feel we’re doing it.

And how was it working with the actors?
I had never worked with actors before but I thought it best to be truthful with them and I think they found that quite shocking. But I always feel that if you show you are taking risks, people will do that extra mile. It was a great, great experience.

What do you want audiences to take away from Hunger?
Hunger for me has contemporary resonance. The body as a site if political warfare is becoming a more familiar phenomenon. It is the final act of desperation; your own body is your last resource for protest. One uses what one has, rightly or wrongly.



Watch! The trailer for Hunger here...
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