'71

It seems somewhat appropriate that the day after I saw '71 that they announced the passing of Ian Paisley. Paisley was one of the most powerful and extreme voices in Ulster during the Troubles and he represented a particularly virulent form of intransigence.

Although the politics of the time are ever-present, it's not a political film per se. A young British soldier on his first sortie into the republican neighbourhoods of Belfast is separated from his unit. He needs to get back to his base In territory he barely understands, relying on people whose motives he doesn't know.

The motives of the various characters are key. Despite the sectarian issues of the conflict, it is anything but a black-and-white world. An impressive feature film debut from a director, Yann Damange with an extensive background in British television.