The action of H3 happens in the Block H of Maze Prison, in the North of Ireland, between the beginning of January and the 5th of May of 1981 - date of the death of Bobby Sands, in the sequence of a hunger strike. In this period, the republican prisoners started a hunger strike, complaining about the status of political prisoners. This strike started after four years of protest, during which the inmates where confined to their cells, only dressed with a blanket. It was followed by another hunger strike - between the months of October and December of 1980 – that only ended when they thought their demands had been answered…

 

Through the eyes of the character, the movie follows the events that, in Maze Prison, culminated with the death of ten inmates. The central theme of “H3” is the dilemma lived, both individually and collectively, by those men:

 

Should they start a hunger strike, knowing that will inevitably end up being their death, or should they stay as they are, under a protest that became obsolete?

 

Having opted, collectively, by the hunger strike, we will then see the impact that their personal and familial interests have to their individual political convictions.

 

A lot of the personal dilemmas and dramas of the main characters are resolved and, although they know that they will have to pay a very high price before to see their demands answered, they have a compromise with one objective, reinforced by the strong united community sense, and they fulfill it. It was that strength and that compromise that were behind of the first experimental steps in direction to the peace in Ireland.