Netflix to preview Mullingar man's Jadotville story at film fleadh
The film is based on ‘The Siege at Jadotville: The Irish Army’s Forgotten Battle‘ by Mullingar man Declan Power, and playing the lead role is Northern Ireland actor, Jamie Dornan.
Netflix are billing the story as one of "incredible bravery against impossible odds":
"The Siege of Jadotville thrillingly depicts the 1961 siege of a 150-strong Irish UN battalion under Commander Patrick Quinlan (Jamie Dornan) by 3,000 Congolese troops led by French and Belgian mercenaries working for mining companies."
"Guillaume Canet plays a French commander who sought to defeat Quinlan and his men.
Directed by Richie Smyth, a well-known Irish commercial and music video director (U2, Bon Jovi, The Verve) and written by Kevin Brodbin (Constantine), The Siege of Jadotville also stars Emmanuelle Seigner and Jason O’Mara with Mikael Persbrandt and Mark Strong.
“The story of how Pat Quinlan led his troops against an overwhelming force without losing a single man is one of the great stories of the 20th century, and we are proud to be working with such a talented and committed team to bring it to life,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. “This film will be an amazing addition to our global original films initiative.”
“As filmmakers, we are constantly looking for new ways to bring a movie to the largest possible audience. Netflix has already reinvented the TV market and is now moving front and centre into the film business. We are proud and excited to be part of their story and innovation,” said Parallel Films’ Alan Moloney.