Ken Loach
Born: 1936-06-17 in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England, UK
Known For: Directing
Biography
Kenneth Charles Loach (born 17 June 1936; Nuneaton) is a retired British film director, screenwriter and producer. His humanist values and socialist political views are evident in his film treatment of social issues such as poverty (Poor Cow, 1967), homelessness (Cathy Come Home, 1966), and labour rights (Riff-Raff, 1991, and The Navigators, 2001). Kenneth Charles Loach was born on 17 June 1936 in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, the son of Vivien (née Hamlin) and John Loach. He attended King Edward VI Grammar School and at the age of 19 went to serve in the Royal Air Force. He read law at St Peter's College, Oxford and graduated with a third-class degree. As a member of the Oxford University Experimental Theatre Club he directed an open-air production of Bartholomew Fair for the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford, in 1959 (when he also took the role of the shady horse-dealer Dan Jordan Knockem). After Oxford, he began a career in the dramatic arts. Loach's film Kes (1969) was voted the seventh greatest British film of the 20th century in a poll by the British Film Institute. Two of his films, The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006) and I, Daniel Blake (2016), received the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, making him one of only nine filmmakers to win the award twice.
Filmography
2026
- Forgotten Spaceman ... (Executive Producer)
2025
- Jane Austen: Rise of a Genius as Self
- Palestine 36 ... (Thanks)
- The Legend of the Palme d’Or Continues as Self
2024
- Censoring Palestine as Self
- Loach vs Corbyn: The Bad Patriots as HIMSELF
- The Bad Patriots
- Uomini in Marcia
2023
- Faut Voir - L'Hebdo cinéma as Self - Guest
- The Old Oak ... (Director)
- Cannes Uncut as Self
- I Get Knocked Down as Self
- Ken Loach, le vent de la révolte as Self
- Oh Jeremy Corbyn - The Big Lie as (himself)
2022
- Reel Britannia as Self
- Film: The Living Record of Our Memory as Self
- Thatcher's Not Dead as Self
- C'era una volta in Italia - Giacarta sta arrivando as Sé stesso
2021
- Once upon a time... "I, Daniel Blake" as himself
- A Bolsa ou a Vida as Self
2020
- Victoria Wood: The Secret List as Self
- Drama Out of a Crisis: A Celebration of Play for Today as Self – Director
2019
- Sorry We Missed You ... (Director)
- Greg Davies: Looking for Kes as Self
- The Great NHS Heist as Himself
2018
2016
- John Bishop: In Conversation with... as Self
- I, Daniel Blake ... (Director)
- Versus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach as Self - Film Director
- To Make a Comedy Is No Fun as Self
- In Conversation With Jeremy Corbyn ... (Director)
- How to Make a Ken Loach Film as self
2015
- Il était une fois... « Rosetta » as Self
- About Cinema as Self
2014
- We Are Many as Self
- Jimmy's Hall ... (Director)
- Idyll ... (Writer)
2013
- The Spirit of '45 ... (Director)
2012
- Square as Self
- The Angels' Share ... (Director)
- A Special Day as Self
- Jordi Dauder, la revolució pendent as Himself
- Catastroika as Self
2011
- The Story of Film: An Odyssey as Self
- Route Irish ... (Director)
2010
- Making Kes as Self
2009
- Looking for Eric ... (Director)
- Vittorio D. as Self
- Great Directors as Self
- What Do You Know About Me as Self
- Celuloide colectivo: el cine en guerra as Himself
2008
2007
- British Film Forever
- To Each His Own Cinema ... (Director)
- It's a Free World... ... (Director)
2006
- The Wind That Shakes the Barley ... (Director)
- Carry On Ken
- Carry On Ken
2004
- Ae Fond Kiss... ... (Director)
2002
- September 11 ... (Director)
- Sweet Sixteen ... (Director)
2001
- The Navigators ... (Director)
- Ken and Rosa as Himself
2000
- Bread and Roses ... (Director)
1999
- The Limey ... (Thanks)
1998
- My Name Is Joe ... (Director)
- Another City: A Week in the Life of Bath's Football Club ... (Director)
1997
- Citizen Ken Loach as Self
1996
- Carla's Song ... (Director)
- The Flickering Flame ... (Director)
1995
- Modern Times ... (Director)
- Land and Freedom ... (Director)
- A Contemporary Case for Common Ownership ... (Director)
1994
- Ladybird Ladybird ... (Director)
1993
- Raining Stones ... (Director)
1991
- Riff-Raff ... (Director)
- The Arthur Legend ... (Director)
1990
- Hidden Agenda ... (Director)
- The Making of 'Hidden Agenda' as Self
1989
- Time to Go ... (Director)
- The View from the Woodpile ... (Director)
1987
- Dispatches ... (Director)
1986
- Split Screen ... (Director)
- A Turnip Head's Guide To The British Cinema as Self
- Fatherland ... (Director)
1985
- Television
- Shooting from the Heart: Chris Menges, Cameraman as Self
- Which Side Are You On? ... (Director)
- End of the Battle... Not the End of the War ... (Director)
1983
- The Red and the Blue ... (Director)
1981
- Looks and Smiles ... (Director)
- A Question of Leadership ... (Producer)
1980
- Auditions ... (Producer)
- The Gamekeeper ... (Director)
1979
- Question Time as Self - Panellist
- Black Jack ... (Director)
1977
- The Price of Coal, Part 2: Back to Reality ... (Director)
- The Price of Coal, Part 1: Meet the People ... (Director)
1975
- Days of Hope ... (Director)
1972
- Full House ... (Director)
- Right to Work March
1971
- Film '72 as Self
- Family Life ... (Director)
- Talk About Work ... (Director)
- The Rank and File ... (Director)
- The Save the Children Fund Film ... (Director)
1970
- Play for Today ... (Director)
- Kes ... (Director)
1969
- ITV Saturday Night Theatre ... (Director)
- The Big Flame ... (Director)
1968
- The Golden Vision ... (Director)
1967
- Poor Cow ... (Director)
- In Two Minds ... (Director)
1966
- Cathy Come Home ... (Director)
1965
- Up the Junction ... (Director)
- The End of Arthur's Marriage ... (Director)
- Three Clear Sundays ... (Director)
- The Coming Out Party ... (Director)
- Wear a Very Big Hat ... (Director)
- A Tap on the Shoulder ... (Director)
1964
- The Wednesday Play ... (Director)
- Diary of a Young Man ... (Director)
1963
- Teletale ... (Director)
1962
- Z-Cars ... (Director)