Project Detail

Bobby Sands: 66 Days

Synopsis

By the early 1980s, after two decades of violence and unrest, the situation in Northern Ireland took a sudden and profound turn inside the infamous Maze Prison. Seeking the right to be treated as political prisoners rather than common criminals, Irish Republicans led by Bobby Sands began a prison hunger strike that would draw international attention to the conflict. In the 66 days that he refused food, Sands would be elected to the British Parliament, put the Irish Republican struggle centre stage on the world news agenda, and pay the ultimate price for his political convictions.
The film combines a powerful mosaic of archival materials, reconstructions and the illuminating accounts of former prisoners, commentators and key players in the drama. With Sands' evocative prison diary at its core, the film brings fresh insight to an iconic figure who single-handedly created a transformative moment in Ireland's history that had global aftershocks. (Hot Docs brochure)
Hot Docs 2016 - World premiere

Details

Year
2016
Type of project
Features
Running time
105 mins
Director
Brendan J Byrne
Producer
Trevor Birney, Brendan J Byrne
Executive Producer
Nick Fraser, Susan Lovell, Andrew Reid, Rory Gilmartin, Justin Binding
Editor
Paul Devlin
Director of Photography
David Barker
Composer
Edith Progue

Categories

Production Status

Production Company

UK, US, Denmark, Ireland, Sweden coproduction

66 Days Films Ltd

Brendan J Byrne
c/o Fine Point Films
2nd Floor Callender House
58-60 Upper Arthur Street
Belfast
BT1 4GJ
Northern Ireland

Sales Company

66 Days Films Ltd

Brendan J Byrne

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