Since IFTN’s report that the US distribution rights of ‘’71’ were sold to Roadside Attractions and Black Label Media (Read the full story
here), Protagonist Pictures have confirmed that a number of other international deals have been made for the Northern Ireland-set thriller.
Deals have been closed with Ad Vitam for France, eOne for Australia and New Zealand, Ascot Elite for Germany and Switzerland, Good Films for Italy, Elevation Pictures for Canada, Vertigo Films for Spain, Non Stop Entertainment for Scandinavia, Lusomundo for Portugal, Seven Films for Greece, Fida for Turkey, Aya Pro for Japan, Sundream for Hong Kong, and Front Row for the Middle East.
Further deals are understood to be closing for South Korea, Latin America, India, Indonesia, Eastern Europe and Benelux.
‘’71’ is the debut feature from Yann Demange, best-known as a TV director for ‘Top Boy’, ‘Dead Set’ and ‘Criminal Justice’. The film sees Jack O’ Connell (‘Skins’, ‘300: Rise of an Empire’) play a young British soldier who gets separated and accidentally left behind by his unit during a riot in Belfast in 1971.
The film was shot in Yorkshire last year and co-stars a number of Irish actors including Richard Dormer (‘Good Vibrations’, ‘GOT’), David Wilmot (‘The Guard’), Martin McCann (‘Jump’, ‘My Boy Jack’) and ‘Love/Hate’’s Charlie Murphy, Killian Scott and Barry Keoghan.
Written by Gregory Burke, the film is produced by Angus Lamont and Robin Gutch. Backers include Film4, BFI Film Fund, Screen Yorkshire, and Creative Scotland, with development support from Northern Ireland Screen, Film4, BFI and Creative Scotland. Northern Ireland Screen also provided funding for Jack O’ Connell’s feature ‘Starred Up’, which was filmed on location in Belfast’s Crumlin Road Gaol and is out in Irish cinemas now.
See a trailer for ‘Starred Up’ here:
See a clip from ‘’71’, involving a chase between O’ Connell, McCann and Keoghan’s characters, here:
