406 Days is an incredibly evocative documentary about the women and men involved in Ireland's longest industrial dispute. It is directed by Joe Lee and produced by Fergus Dowd. Homicide detective Ko Gun-soo swerves to avoid hitting an animal and runs over a man. He gets away with it, thanks to a conscience-pricking look from his dog witness.
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The Story
The story of 406 Days is one of persistent public defiance at a time of global stillness. It follows the fight by former Debenhams employees — 95 per cent of whom were female — who were made redundant in April 2020 when the chain closed its 11 Irish stores and filed for liquidation during the pandemic.
Director Joe Lee has crafted a straightforward, people-focused account of the strike. Shot against a backdrop of empty streets and barren Debenhams storefronts, the film blends short-form interviews with archival footage to give viewers an uncompromised view of what happened. The women in this spacemov film fought for each other like family, and it’s clear that they felt it was their duty to carry on until the end. This is a powerful, moving documentary about the power of solidarity.
The Cast
A gripping and harrowing account of the Irish women who refused to leave their Debenhams picket line in 2020. Winner of the Dublin Audience Award at the Dublin Film Festival, Joe Lee’s documentary is a powerful and deeply affecting tale of determination and courage. The acting is superb. Oh Kwang-rok brings real intensity to the role of the resourceful Maeve. Cho, whose chubby face projects a personable air that belies her ruthless monomania, is also very good.
Veteran character actor William Fichtner adds to the eeriness by playing a Host with the ability to use his mind to distort reality. He also helps elevate the tone by delivering some genuinely chilling lines. Moreover, Rebel Rodriguez delivers an outstanding performance as the cleaning lady, who is also hiding some dark secrets of her own.
The Cinematography
Winner of the audience award and the ICCL human rights film award at this year’s Dublin International Film Festival, Joe Lee’s 406 Days recounts the story of the 1,000 Debenhams workers (95 percent of whom were women) made redundant via a generic email in April 2020. Describing each other more as extended family than coworkers, they refused to go quietly and set up picket lines at all of the company’s 11 Irish stores, even after they were denied a redundancy package that had been negotiated in good faith.
Lee employs straight-to-camera interviews with a host of ex-Debenhams workers, who detail their initial shock and anger, then how they quickly developed a nationwide communication network that allowed them to sustain Ireland’s longest industrial dispute. Tied together with amazing direction and cinematography, the film is a must-see for anyone interested in the power of solidarity and resistance.
The Editing
The editing is excellent, combining short-form interview pieces with footage of key events as they happened. The film also makes good use of the empty buildings that once housed the Debenhams chain. The film never strays from its central theme, which is Ireland’s failure to protect its women. It is the strength of the characters and their passion that tethers the audience to its core message.
It’s a remarkable story of courage that deserves to be seen. It should be in every Irish cinema and is a worthy winner of the Dublin International Film Festival audience award and ICCL Human Rights Award. 406 Days is in cinemas nationwide from Friday 26 May. This movie is a must-see for anyone who loves documentary films. It will leave you inspired and enlightened.
