The Ballymurphy Precedent

The first people to see the film were 120 family members and friends of the victims who gathered for a private screening in Corpus Christi, the church at the heart of Ballymurphy, around which the killings occurred. A church which has been very supportive of the families’ search for justice.

It was a very difficult film for the families to watch.  There were many tears, but some laughter too. This was a portrait of a war in a small town and there were moments of humour even in those dark times. As the film came to an end, there was a pause and then everyone stood and gave the film a standing ovation.  It was a very moving event (and nerve-wracking for the production team!)  We were very conscious that the families had made a brave decision to trust us with their story, and to help us make the film.   The families and survivors are engaged on a search for truth and justice which is painful, but vitally important. A search which could help remove a significant block on the road to truth and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. We hope the film helps.

The live action for the reconstructions of the shootings on those three terrible days in August 1971 was filmed in a large green screen studio outside Dublin and then composited later onto the CGI created images of the the localities as they looked in 1971.