Sundance Winner ‘Five Minutes of Heaven’ On BBC2 | The Irish Film & Television Network

The drama, which is a fiction but based on real people, explores aspects of Northern Ireland’s troubled past and the challenges the future holds in coming to terms with it. The story begins in 1975 when 17 year-old Alistair Little, a member of the UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force) murdered a 19 year-old Catholic, Jim Griffin, in Lurgan. He was arrested two weeks later, along with three others involved in the shooting, and convicted. Jim’s murder was witnessed by his 11 year old brother, Joe Griffin played by James Nesbitt. The film explores the impact of the legacy of violence on both men. The role of Alistair, 30 years on, is played by Liam Neeson.

The drama recently won two awards at the Sundance Film Festival, including the World Cinema Screenwriting Award for Guy Hibbert (Omagh) and the World Cinema Directing Award for Oliver Hirschbiegel (Downfall).

During the development process, interviews with Joe and Alistair took place with their full consent over a three year period in a series of separate consultations with writer Guy Hibbert. In real life Joe and Alistair have never met. Speaking on the drama, producer Stephen Wright, BBC Northern Ireland Drama, said: “It is important to clearly understand from the two men’s point of view what this film is about. It is about the complex psychological relationship that exists between the perpetrator of a crime and the victim.

“It is not about truth and reconciliation. It is not about finding easy answers. Both men independently say that making the film has been a painful but worthwhile process. It will have particular resonance for the Northern Ireland audience but it will also have meaning for other societies that have faced conflict.”

Peter Johnston, Controller BBC Northern Ireland said: “I believe we have created a responsible drama, putting Alistair and Joe at the heart of the creative and consultative process and in doing so capturing something of Northern Ireland at this point in its history. The drama challenges us very directly to think about the legacy of our past.”

‘Five Minutes of Heaven’ is produced by Eoin O’Callaghan at Big Fish Films and Stephen Wright from BBC Northern Ireland; executive produced by Patrick Spence, BBC NI; Paul Trijbits, Ruby Films and Cameron McCracken, Pathe. It was co-financed by Northern Ireland Screen and Element Pictures.

The film was originally commissioned by Jane Tranter, former Controller of Fiction, BBC and Roly Keating, Controller of BBC Two. The production was shot in Belfast last summer with production designer Dubliner Mark Lowery (Small Engine Repair) and was lensed by Ruairí O'Brien (Freakdog).

Free Industry Newsletter

Subscribe to IFTN's industry newsletter - it's free and e-mailed directly to your inbox every week.
Click here to sign up.