His suffering and eerie celebrity made headlines worldwide, marking a key turning point in. An authoritative documentary about the ira hunger striker gets to the heart of its subject. After 66 days on hunger strike, bobby sands lost his life on may 5, 1981. Sands is no unknown figure, the nonreveal freeing bobby sands. Robert gerard sands was a member of the provisional irish republican army who died on. In the spring of 1981 irish republican bobby sands 66day hunger strike brought the attention of the world to his cause. Robert gerard sands 9 march 1954 5 may 1981, commonly known as bobby sands, was a member of the provisional irish.
In the spring of 1981, ireland was brought to a standstill as it witnessed an intense struggle between an invisible man, locked in a prison cell, and the might of the british government. Protest icon a rare snap of bobby sands, shown in the documentary 66 days. Bobby sands, up for love, the carer, sid and nancy. Over 66 days, bobby sands hunger strike caused a ripple effect across the globe. By the early 1980s, after two decades of violence and unrest, the situation in northern ireland took a sudden and profound turn inside the infamous maze prison. Bobby sands died after 66 days on hunger strike on may 5th 1981. At an early age, sandss life was affected by the sharp divisions that shaped northern ireland. A documentary on bobby sands, a jean dujardinstarring french. Bobby sands was an irish nationalist who led a hunger strike from prison in 1981. Sands death after 66 days marked a key turning point in the relationship between britain and ireland, and brought a global spotlight to the northern irish conflict which eventually triggered international efforts to resolve it. That concept is forcefully reiterated in brendan j.
Otoole completely separates sands actions from the political context of the time. The sp ine of the film is comprised of sands own words, drawn from his hunger strike diary a unique insight into the man. He had been in a coma for 48 hours before being pronounced dead by medical staff at the maze prison in northern ireland. There isnt, then, much to say about sands life, apart from those nine years in which he was imprisoned, awaiting imprisonment, or engaged in activity that would lead to his imprisonment. I became familiar with bobby sands from watching the 2008 film the hunger starring michael fassbender. Sands was in prison for a second time for ira activities. Drawing on firsthand testimony, previously unseen archive footage, sparing reconstructions and evocative animation, bobby sands.
Byrne documentary gives historical context to sandss 1981 hunger strike and death in solidarity with the provisional irish. Robert gerard sands 9 march 1954 5 may 1981, commonly known as bobby sands, was a member of the provisional irish republican army who died on hunger strike while imprisoned. This clip from the upcoming feature length documentary bobby sands. Hot docs has received filmmaker permission to upload this trailer to the hotdocsfest youtube channel. He espouses, at great length, the idea that bobby sands was an artist, who in dying, was making the ultimate sacrifice for his art. Byrne, the film centres on the belfast ira activists fast to the death at the hblocks in the maze prisonlong kesh. Bobby sands documentary 66 days is an essential watch. The 27yearold republican spent the last days of his life on a water bed to protect his fragile bones.
Sands death after 66 days in the spring of 1981 irish republican bobby sands 66day hunger strike brought the attention of the world to his cause. Bobby sands was the oldest of four children born to john and rosaleen sands, and the couples first son. Sands died a slow 66 days later, after winning a seat as a uk mp from his cell in the maze prison. Byrne, presents a cleaner version of the ira members last days. Sands married geraldine noade while in prison on robbery charges on 3 march 1973. This piercing and unforgettable documentary chronicles the story of bobby sands, the ira volunteer who in march 1981 began a hunger strike that would last an astonishing 66 days and eventually end in him losing his life, as he fought to be officially recognised as a. In the spring of 1981, irish republican bobby sands 66day hunger strike brought the attention of the world to his cause.
Telling the factual story of sands life for the first time, this unique film sets out how he became the architect. Filmmaker brendan j byrne explores the story of bobby sandss 66day hunger strike in the spring of 1981. Drawing on an irish republican tradition of martyrdom, sands emotive, nonviolent protest to be classified as a political prisoner became a defining moment in 20th century irish history. F or those whose only awareness of bobby sands comes from hunger, bobby sands. Hunger striker bobby sands has died in prison 66 days after first refusing to eat.
This clip from the feature length documentary bobby sands. The film mixes reenactment, animation, interviews and archive footage to relate the story of bobby sands and the 1981 irish hunger strike, as well as covering the. With gerry adams, michael alison, humphrey atkins, aram bakshian. Sands died on 5 may 1981 in the mazes prison hospital after 66 days on hunger strike, aged 27. Byrne director previous cast members more cast members. Unlike, 66 days, it does not hesitate to face and show the terrible prison conditions sands and other inmates lived in. Seeking the right to be treated as political prisoners rather than common criminals, irish republicans led by bobby sands began a prison hunger strike that would draw international attention to the conflict.