Recommends

Set in the North East of England, The Old Oak tells the story of Yara (Ebla Mari), one of a group of Syrian refugees bussed into a former mining village without warning. As they arrive, a number of local men aggressively heckle them and one smashes her camera. It's a deeply unsettling welcome for these women and children who have fled a terrible war at home.

A kind, caring landlord named TJ Ballantyne (Dave Turner) steps in to help defuse the tension. After he fixes her camera, a warm friendship and bond soon develop.

TJ's dilapidated pub is the local focal point, for the men, at least, but TJ wrong-foots those around him when he allows a food bank-style takeover of the pub's old back room, rather than allowing it to be used as a community hall for meetings and discussions.

The sense of loss, of the missing glue that used to hold the community together, hangs ever present in the stale air but this is not a dusty film. Loach and longtime collaborators, producer Rebecca O'Brien and screenwriter Paul Laverty lace the potentially downbeat story not only with funny, touching moments but also, as the story develops, a sense of hope and new-found community.

The film finds a winning centre in TJ. Turner gives him a tangible sense of compassion and protectiveness over his new flock, and the film as a whole is suffused with great empathy and tenderness.

It's easy to see why Loach would choose this, the third in a trilogy of recent films (alongside I, Daniel Blake and Sorry We Missed You) feted at Cannes, to focus on the demonising of refugees and the communities they are "dumped" into. But, as ever, he does it with maximum humanity.

There is a lovely sequence in which Yara puts together a slideshow of images she has taken of the villagers, a moment of real wonder as the townsfolk see themselves through different eyes. It's a stunning moment of pure cross-cultural connection.

Loach has an innate ability to communicate with everyday people, which is why he's so at ease with directing non-actors, eliciting naturalistic performances that draw us in. His films are rooted in social realism – there's nothing contrived about these people and their experiences. It's character- led drama of the highest order that doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of everyday life, but also deals in earned optimism.

It is remarkable to think that Loach was widely rumoured to be eyeing retirement some 13 years ago, until the devastating effects of austerity made him rethink. As a result, his powerful work has shifted the national conversation dramatically. The policies and rhetoric that threaten refugees' safety in this country now seem woefully out of step with the national conscience. A fresh approach feels needed and long overdue.

Spirited, warm-hearted and wise, Loach remains perhaps our sole truth- teller when it comes to seeing such stuff on screen. That he makes it so engaging is testament to the great filmmaker he is. He may be wishing for quiet retirement but let's hope not just yet. There's no one currently to fill his shoes once he's done.  Ed Gibbs

Quick Q&A: Ken Loach

How did you approach the characters who reject the Syrian refugees?
 As always, we listened and learned. After years following social conflicts and struggles, we know what to expect, but the precise way events unfold and people react is always revealing...There are no immediate villains here. A sense of grievance can drive people to extreme measures but there is always a logic to how they behave. To miss that is to cheapen the drama.

The Old Oak is your third in a run of films set in the North East. How do you look back on this trilogy?

 To summarise, making three films in the North East has been a powerful experience. The clichés are true – a warm and generous people, a stunning landscape and a culture built on hardship, struggle and solidarity.

Pick up a copy of Picturehouse Recommends at a Picturehouse Cinema near you, or become a Member.

The Old Oak is in cinemas now — Book Now!