Watch Bobby Sands: 66 Days

Bobby Sands: 66 Days is a documentary film directed by Brendan J Byrne, which chronicles the life and death of IRA member Bobby Sands, who led a hunger strike in Northern Ireland in 1981. The film recounts the events leading up to the hunger strike and the political, social and historical context in which it took place. The film incorporates never-before-seen archive footage, interviews with key players in the conflict, and various experts on Northern Irish history and politics. It also features the words and writings of Sands himself, taken from his own prison diary.

The film starts with Sands' childhood in Belfast, where he grew up in a time of sectarian violence and political turmoil. It then moves on to explore his involvement in the IRA and the reasons behind the 1981 hunger strike. The focus of the film is on how Sands' personal sacrifice became a galvanizing force for the Republican movement and international awareness of the Northern Irish conflict.

Through interviews with friends, family, and associates, as well as archival footage and photographs, the film shows the transformation of Sands from a young man who believed in justice and freedom for his people to an IRA member committed to ending British rule by any means necessary. It also explores his decision to lead a hunger strike and the impact it had on the wider community and the world.

The film is structured around Sands' diary entries, which provide a glimpse into the physical and emotional toll of the hunger strike. We witness Sands' physical deterioration, but also his unwavering commitment to his cause. The film shows how Sands' protest drew international attention to the conflict in Northern Ireland and how his death symbolized the ultimate sacrifice for the Republican movement.

The film also explores the political context in which the hunger strike took place. It highlights the British government's intransigence in refusing the demands of the striking prisoners, and the political games played by both sides in the lead-up to Sands' death. It also touches on the impact of the strike on the peace process that eventually led to the Good Friday Agreement.

Overall, Bobby Sands: 66 Days is a powerful film that offers an insightful and moving portrait of one man's sacrifice and the wider conflict that it came to symbolize. The film is not without controversy, as it presents an unapologetic view of Sands and his actions, but it remains an important historical document and a compelling piece of cinema.

Bobby Sands: 66 Days is a 2016 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 45 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.2 and a MetaScore of 71.