Brendan J. Byrne’s documentary about famous hunger striker Bobby Sands is due to make its television debut at 9pm on BBC 2 NI, Sunday Sept 24th.
The feature length documentary, which is based on the extracts of Sands personal prison diary, proved popular in Ireland last year, earning an IFTA nomination for Feature Documentary.
The film, which was written and directed by Brendan J. Byrne (Fine Point Films), received funding from the BBC and Northern Ireland Screen. While the BBC did not disclose its contribution, Northern Ireland Screen revealed that they gave £76,000 to the project funding of the film.
Bobby Sands: 66 Days drew large crowds on its release in Ireland, earning the nation’s highest opening weekend figures for any Irish made documentary, making over €50,000.
The television debut of Bobby Sands: 66 Days comes on the same weekend that ‘Maze,’ the film depicting the largest prison breakout in Irish/UK history is set to release nationwide.
Stephen Burke’s ‘Maze,’which is produced by Brendan J. Byrne, sheds light on the infamous breakout of 38 IRA Prisoners from what was believed to be the most secure prisons in Europe and the same prison that Bobby Sands had died in two years prior.
‘Maze’ will be released in cinemas nationwide Friday, September 22nd