The Patriot Game

Arthur MacCaig's thorough and thoughtful essay film examines the conflict in Northern Ireland between 1968 and 1978, covering the height of the Troubles. Combining a decades worth of newsreel with his own searing footage of street riots, police violence and fire bomb attacks, MacCaig (father of Donal Foreman, dir. The Image You Missed) constructs a blistering and emotional portrait of those at the centre of the armed struggle. Premiering at the 1979 Cannes Film Festival, MacCaig’s film was hailed on its release for its rawness and intelligence, and it remains a vital and revelatory piece of radical political filmmaking.

The Patriot Game, Dir. Arthur MacCaig, France, 1978, 93 mins, French with English subtitles