Rebellious Billy Casper (David Bradley) finds that training a kestrel takes his mind off his troubled home life and the bullies at school. Set in the Northern English town of Barnsley, the film is a gritty slice of working-class life in the �60s. Based on the Barry Hines novel A KESTREL FOR A KNAVE, KES was brought to the big screen by Palm d�Or-winning director Ken Loach, who is best known for his early kitchen sink dramas. Fittingly, Brian Glover--who plays a games teacher--was born in Barnsley, bringing a touch of authenticity to proceedings. Upon its release, KES attracted criticism from wildlife conservationists who saw it as encouraging youngsters to take falcons from the wild with the intention of taming them, despite the film�s underlying message of respecting the birds.