Ken Loach On Whether ‘The Old Oak’ Is Really His Final Film: “One Day At A Time” – Cannes

deadline.com:

Ken Loach still has more to say against The Man in society with his cinema, that was clear coming away from the Cannes press conference for his latest movie The Old Oak.

We asked Loach if the reports are true; whether The Old Oak is truly his finale. Answered the director, “One day at a time. If you get up in the morning, and you’re not in the obituary column; one day at a time.” The 87-year old Loach told THR back in April, “realistically, it would be hard to do a feature film again” given that “your facilities do decline.

Your short-term memory goes and my eyesight is pretty rubbish now, so it’s quite tricky.” However, Loach emphasized today how important it is for cinema, especially with the younger filmmakers, to stay vibrant as the artform puts people of power in check. “It’s not up to the directors and writers if they can make films; now the doors are closing on young people who want to engage with the issues of their time with a political understanding other than simply a social understanding.

That’s a big difference because political understanding means you challenge those in power. Why should those in power with the money when their system is failing support films that should challenge them?” exclaimed Loach.