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Film on Ireland’s Bloody Sunday lands distributor
LOS ANGELES — “Bloody Sunday,” a dramatization of the police massacre of 13 Roman Catholics in Northern Ireland in 1972, has been acquired by Paramount Classics.
The distributor announced the acquisition Wednesday, the 30th anniversary of the bloodshed that occurred when police opened fire on an unarmed crowd during a demonstration. The shootings enraged Catholics and set off a wave of Irish Republican Army violence that led to the bloodiest year in the Northern Ireland conflict.
Written and directed by Paul Greengrass, “Bloody Sunday” stars James Nesbitt and Tim Pigott-Smith. Jim Sheridan (“In the Name of the Father,” “My Left Foot”) was an executive producer.
“Bloody Sunday” was co-winner of the world-cinema audience award at this winter’s Sundance Film Festival.
Paramount Classics plans to release the film domestically this fall.
Besides the U.S. release, the distributor picked up rights for the film in Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Japan and South Africa.
