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06/04/2009
'50 Dead Men' Movie Premier Attracts Protest
Protests have been held by an NI victims' group at the premiere of a film inspired by an IRA informer.
Starring Sir Ben Kingsley and Jim Sturgess as a Special Branch handler and informer respectively, 50 Dead Men Walking (still image shown here) is based on the memoir of the same name by Martin McGartland.
The title refers to the number of lives allegedly saved by Mr McGartland's actions from 1987 to 1991.
The street protests in Belfast came on foot of an interview by an outspoken actress in the film, Rose McGowan.
She plays an IRA woman in the film, said she would "100%" have joined the IRA had she lived in Belfast during the Troubles.
Several members of the Troubles' victims' group, FAIR - including its Chairman Willie Frazer - carried placards as they marched outside the Movie House on Dublin Road on Saturday night.
The protest was during the screening, which took place to close the Jameson Belfast Film Festival.
Martin Preshur, a Movie House duty manager, said the protests had been "peaceful" and "they didn't cause any trouble to any customers coming in."
However, the Belfast screening was attended by only some of the cast, including Tom Collins, who plays Mikey.
Sir Ben, Miss McGowan and Mr Sturgess did not attend.
Causing less contention, the local Assembly's Deputy First Minister, Sinn Feín's Martin McGuinness joined the cast and crew of another festival movie, Pump Girl for a special preview screening.
He took his seat at the Movie House in Belfast alongside Belfast-born Hollywood actress Geraldine Hughes - one of stars of the show - to watch the low-budget film which is showing as part of the Belfast Film Festival.
Mr McGuinness said: "The Film and Television industry is one of our key creative industries here and, thanks to the work of NI Screen, we have begun to make our mark as a profitable location for shooting top class movies.
"As a result of our recent discussions with some of the largest movie and television producers in LA we are hopeful that we will be able to make some significant announcements shortly.
"We will continue to stress the benefits of filming here as well as pointing out to other potential investors that we have one very big advantage over our competitors - we have the Paint Hall in the Titanic Quarter - the jewel in our crown when it comes to film-making facilities."
(BMcC/JM)
Starring Sir Ben Kingsley and Jim Sturgess as a Special Branch handler and informer respectively, 50 Dead Men Walking (still image shown here) is based on the memoir of the same name by Martin McGartland.
The title refers to the number of lives allegedly saved by Mr McGartland's actions from 1987 to 1991.
The street protests in Belfast came on foot of an interview by an outspoken actress in the film, Rose McGowan.
She plays an IRA woman in the film, said she would "100%" have joined the IRA had she lived in Belfast during the Troubles.
Several members of the Troubles' victims' group, FAIR - including its Chairman Willie Frazer - carried placards as they marched outside the Movie House on Dublin Road on Saturday night.
The protest was during the screening, which took place to close the Jameson Belfast Film Festival.
Martin Preshur, a Movie House duty manager, said the protests had been "peaceful" and "they didn't cause any trouble to any customers coming in."
However, the Belfast screening was attended by only some of the cast, including Tom Collins, who plays Mikey.
Sir Ben, Miss McGowan and Mr Sturgess did not attend.
Causing less contention, the local Assembly's Deputy First Minister, Sinn Feín's Martin McGuinness joined the cast and crew of another festival movie, Pump Girl for a special preview screening.
He took his seat at the Movie House in Belfast alongside Belfast-born Hollywood actress Geraldine Hughes - one of stars of the show - to watch the low-budget film which is showing as part of the Belfast Film Festival.
Mr McGuinness said: "The Film and Television industry is one of our key creative industries here and, thanks to the work of NI Screen, we have begun to make our mark as a profitable location for shooting top class movies.
"As a result of our recent discussions with some of the largest movie and television producers in LA we are hopeful that we will be able to make some significant announcements shortly.
"We will continue to stress the benefits of filming here as well as pointing out to other potential investors that we have one very big advantage over our competitors - we have the Paint Hall in the Titanic Quarter - the jewel in our crown when it comes to film-making facilities."
(BMcC/JM)
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