Directed by Bullitt (what a world we would live in if this was actually true) and featuring a cast of actors who speak a language only vaguely resembling English, Hunger is a contemporary masterpiece of cold, detached yet stylised realism. If this film has given me anything to consider, it’s the true horror of a devoted hunger strike — which is a lot to consider. The impossibly long, static shot of Bobby Sands enjoying a one-sided conversation (because he was only listening to himself) with the priest is a small miracle of recent cinema.

Those worried by descriptors being used in association with this film such as ‘abstract’ and ‘succession of images’ should not be altogether put off: here, ‘abstract’ is being confused with (exaggerated) realism, and the film has a much stronger, more traditional narrative to it than ‘succession of images’ might bring to mind. As far as Art Films go, I would not be hesitant in calling this tradionally entertaining — meaning, alienation runs low.