Ken Loach To Direct Post-WWII Doc 'Spirit of 45' Plus New Photos From His Upcoming 'The Angels Share'

Director Ken Loach has always strived for realism in his socially-conscious films, so it's no surprise that his next project is a documentary about socialism. Enjoying the most prolific decade of his long career, the 75-year-old director's last film, the 2010 drama-thriller "Route Irish," examined the corruption of private contractors working in Iraq, while his foray into documentary, titled "Spirit of '45," will be an even broader affair — focusing on the changes to the social and political landscape of Britain immediately following the end of World War II.

Loach is already hard at work on the seemingly laborious film, which, according to Variety, will ultimately study "how the spirit of a new kind of socialism shaped that time and continues to reflect in modern-day Blighty." To make the doc, Loach will utilize footage from the U.K.'s regional and national archives, as well as photographs, sound recordings and contemporary interviews.

Loach's films have always concentrated specifically on British life, and therefore don't usually get a wide release in the States, and we expect his documentary about socialism to follow suit. Still, considering the subject matter and Loach's track record, we're excited to see what the end result will be.

While Loach works on "Spirit of '45," his latest film, "The Angels' Share," will arrive in cinemas on June 1 (in the U.K. anyway). The bittersweet comedy follows four friends who struggle to find work because of their criminal records but discover that a single malt whisky distillery could be their salvation. Newcomer Paul Brannigan leads a cast filled with Loach regulars, including John Henshaw ("Looking for Eric"), William Ruane ("The Wind That Shakes the Barley"), Gary Maitland ("Sweet Sixteen"). While we await a trailer, Digital Spy has revealed five new photos from the film, which reveal the appropriate comedic and dramatic moments, as well as some requisite whisky tasting.