Over 66 days, bobby sands hunger strike caused a ripple effect across. Apr 06, 2016 hot docs has received filmmaker permission to upload this trailer to the hotdocsfest youtube channel. Telling the factual story of sands life for the first time, this unique film sets out how he became the architect of his own destiny and describes how his own personal story became overshadowed by his death, as he ascended into the ranks of international icon. Stay on top of the latest breaking film and tv news. Over 66 days, bobby sands hunger strike caused a ripple effect across the globe. F or those whose only awareness of bobby sands comes from hunger, bobby sands. Sands married geraldine noade while in prison on robbery charges on 3 march 1973. By the early 1980s, after two decades of violence and unrest, the situation in northern ireland took a sudden and profound turn inside the infamous maze prison. Movie info in the spring of 1981 irish republican bobby sands 66day hunger strike brought the attention of the world to his cause. Drama at the absolute rawest edge it could possibly be, was how journalist fintan otoole described the irainla hunger strike in brendan byrnes new film, bobby sands sixtysix days. Using extracts from bobby sandss diary, testimony and footage from. A gripping tale of terrible times structured around sandss decline, 66 days powers us through a sociopolitical maelstrom. Byrne on allmovie in his 1981 prison hunger strike, bobby sands put. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing bobby sands.
Aug 17, 2017 hot docs has received filmmaker permission to upload this trailer to the hotdocsfest youtube channel. There isnt, then, much to say about sands life, apart from those nine years in which he was imprisoned, awaiting imprisonment, or engaged in activity that would lead to his imprisonment. The life and death of bobby sands in his own words, drawn from his hunger strike diary. Bobby sands documentary 66 days is an essential watch the. This piercing and unforgettable documentary chronicles the story of bobby sands, the ira volunteer who in march 1981 began a hunger strike that would last an astonishing 66 days and eventually end in him losing his life, as he fought to be officially. Journalist fintan otoole, a contributor to the film, believes that the tragic. Biography, documentary, history by the early 1980s, after two decades of violence and unrest, the situation in northern ireland took a sudden and profound turn inside the infamous maze prison. When you hear that not only has the bbc cofunded a documentary about bobby sands but it also has irish times pontificator general fintan otoole featuring extensively the alarm bells go off. Nov 30, 2016 as subtle and eventempered as a documentary about a selfstarving political martyr can possibly be, brendan j. As subtle and eventempered as a documentary about a selfstarving political martyr can possibly be, brendan j. Drawing on firsthand testimony, previously unseen archive footage, sparing reconstructions and evocative animation, bobby sands. In one he describes the 1981 hunger strike as drama at the absolute rawest edge it could possibly be.
Content media in 1981, bobby sands is a 27yearold member of the ira, doing a 14year sentence for weapons possession in northern irelands maze prison, when he leads fellow prisoners on a hunger strike demanding that they be treated as political prisoners. Nov 29, 2016 that concept is forcefully reiterated in brendan j. This clip from the upcoming feature length documentary bobby sands. It went on general release in ireland on 5 august 2016, where it set a record for the highestgrossing opening weekend for an irish documentary film 50,933 or gb. Drawing on an irish republican tradition of martyrdom, sands emotive, nonviolent protest to be classified as a political prisoner became a defining moment in 20th century irish.
Sands remains an opaque figure, but brendan j byrnes film makes a persuasive case that his 1981 hunger strike lead directly to the good. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Sands s sister, bernadette sands mckevitt, is also a prominent irish republican. The documentary is a compelling interpretation of the multiple perspectives there are on the hblock protests and hunger strikes. Drawing on an irish republican tradition of martyrdom, sands. Telling the factual story of sands life for the first time, this unique film. Drawing on an irish republican tradition of martyrdom, sands emotive, non.
An authoritative documentary about the ira hunger striker gets to the heart of its subject. This clip from the feature length documentary bobby sands. Nov 27, 2016 still, 66 days offers so much more historical and political context beyond just these brief gestures toward acknowledging sandss humanity that the film transcends its conventional trappings to become genuinely absorbing. Bobby sands and nine other menall prisoners at the infamous hblock in northern irelandstarved themselves to death over the course of. Byrnes film is a sober, evenhanded recapitulation of sandss imprisonment and. In the spring of 1981 irish republican bobby sands 66 day hunger strike brought the attention of the world to his cause. Bobby sands documentary 66 days is an essential watch. Protest icon a rare snap of bobby sands, shown in the documentary 66 days.
Seeking the right to be treated as political prisoners rather than common criminals, irish republicans led by bobby sands began a prison hunger strike that would draw international attention to the conflict. At 17, bobby sands was interested in girls, soccer and music. That concept is forcefully reiterated in brendan j. With gerry adams, michael alison, humphrey atkins, aram bakshian. In the spring of 1981 irish republican bobby sands 66day hunger strike brought the attention of the world to his cause. But 66 days is the first fulllength documentary about sands. Hot docs has received filmmaker permission to upload this trailer to the hotdocsfest youtube channel. A documentary look at ira man bobby sandss 66day hunger strike that resulted in his death in 1981, as well as his earlier life, the troubled northern ireland he lived in. Filmmaker brendan j byrne explores the story of bobby sandss 66day hunger strike in the spring of 1981. Nov 30, 2016 there isnt, then, much to say about sands life, apart from those nine years in which he was imprisoned, awaiting imprisonment, or engaged in activity that would lead to his imprisonment.