Ken Loach

Ken Loach has won the Palme d'Or twice at Cannes: for "The Wind That Shakes the Barley" (2006) and "I, Daniel Blake" (2016). This places him among a small group of directors who have won the top Cannes prize more than once.

Loach first gained widespread attention with "Kes" (1969), a film about a working-class boy in Yorkshire who finds purpose training a kestrel. Earlier, his 1966 BBC television drama "Cathy Come Home" had a major impact on public awareness of homelessness in Britain.

Loach is known for his social realist approach, focusing on working-class struggles, poverty, and systemic injustice, particularly in Britain. He frequently casts non-professional actors and shoots in a naturalistic style to convey authentic depictions of everyday life.

Loach announced that "The Old Oak" (2023) would be his final feature film, capping a directing career of more than five decades. However, he had previously suggested retirement after "I, Daniel Blake" before returning to direct again.