La nuit des otages

How to convey five years captivity in one hour and a half with the whole range of contradictory feelings. This is what Blind Flight is about: Beirut 1985, the true story of Keenan and McCarthy kidnapped by a militant Muslim fundamentalist group. One expects immediately a vision of "baddies V Goodies" but the film is a lot more subtle and fairer than that. The Muslim guardians, despite their violence (Lebanon was in a state of war), remain human, and not stereotyped. In fact they appear as victims of politics and in the same time they reproduce the system they are fighting. What is remarkable is the way John Furse maintains your interest throughout an almost static film; for instance one of the kidnapper is proud to show them his new born baby but he is also proud of his new kalachnikof. The film is intelligent, moving, funny and thought provoking. My thought was "what would I do in their place?". McCarthy and Keenan give us a lesson of courage and wisdom we have been longing for for decades. They don't save the world, they broaden its mind by undergoing the kind of test that enlightens what is important in life.

We were very lucky to meet John Furse the director and McCarthy at the end of the show. They were as genuine, interesting and lucid as their film. John Furse's talent makes me look forward for his next film.

This film is an extraordinary testament to the power of male bonding, hope and courage in the face of long term imprisonment and potential death. In spite of the seriousness of its subject matter, it manages to provide moments of welcome humour and lightness. Brian Keenan and John McCarthy would most probably not have given one another the time of day in any other circumstances, but thrown together as they were in the Lebanon, they developed an extraordinary depth of trust and compassion, and a deep bond which could never be severed. John Furse has created a beautiful, intimate, unflinching study of these two men in captivity....phenomenally acted by Ian Hart and Linus Roache....and this film deserves to be seen by the many not the few. If you can't see it at the cinema, get it out on DVD. If you are a teacher, use it in your classrooms.Whatever you do, please try to see it at least once.

Blind Flight is a tender, witty, and deeply moving portrayal of the love and mutual support which develops between two highly unlikely individuals, Irishman Brian Keenan and Englishman (with Irish roots)John McCarthy, during their many years of captivity as hostages in the Lebanon in the mid 1980s.Blind Flight took years of love, sweat and dedication to come to fruition....why didn't more people go and see it in the cinemas? Why is it not being screened at my local art-house cinema, the Duke of Yorks, when they were turning people away at a sell out special screening in October? If you want to see it on the big screen, get on the phone and demand that it be screened in your local art-house cinema. This is a film which deserves to be seen by the many, not the few....particularly given the current hostage sitruation in Iraq.If you can't get it on at the cinema, take it out on DVD or VHS from your local rental store...or buy it!!!

I recently watched a screening of Blind Flight at the Cosmat conference in Brighton and to be honest, I wasn't expecting much. Being the kind of person who generally watches mainstream movies, I thought that the fact this film is not widely recognised in the UK said it all. However I turned out to be very wrong, as I thought this movie was fantastic! The casting was very well done, and Ian Hart and Linus Roache were superb in this film, and fulfilled their characters roles very well. The film follows Brian Keenan and John McCarthy, an Irish teacher and an English Journalist captured and held hostage for 4 years in Lebanon during the 79-91 civil war. The film gives a real insight into the captive's emotions and feelings during this time, and being based on true events really makes you feel for the two men. I recently met the director John Furse and discovered that the film took 13 years to bring to UK screens, and the film was definitely worth the wait!

This is a film about men, by men: their humanity and relationships. Excluding one cameo moment (and Mrs Thatcher) there are no women in the film. That it does not matter is the testament to the absolute universal held within this portrayal.

If you have already read the books, this is not a film version of either. The project was undertaken on its own account, starting before John was released. Rather, it zips all files and then presents us with a chance to see what it means to be suddenly plucked from your life.

Co-written by Brian, a lecturer in literature, author, and one of the two, it is a unique telling of a real story about the violence and cruelty that can arise from the human fear of difference. A telling that transcends both through acknowledgment. A must for veterans of hate, seekers of hope, and celebrants of the paradox that a crucible of human failure can fruit the better of gifts.

Men; simple, sparse, sincere. Real.

Iron John meets Alan Bennett. A rare achievement, and a gem on a plate for those with mentoring roles.