A chance meeting between a former Derry Northern Ireland international footballer and an award-winning director has led to the making of a new film that is already being tipped for success.
David Campbell in his Nottingham Forest days.
“Shooting for Socrates” is currently being filmed in Belfast and stars Derry’s own Commitments star Bronagh Gallagher and young Art Parkinson (Game of Thrones) from Moville in Inishowen and is a story set against the backdrop of Northern Ireland’s clash with the mighty Brazil in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
Included in the Northern Ireland squad were Derry men David Campbell (Nottingham Forest) and John O’Neill and Paul Ramsey (both Leicester City).
Other members of the NI squad included Pat Jennings, Sammy McIlroy, Norman Whiteside, Gerry Armstrong and Billy Hamilton.
The Brazil team featured stars such as Falcao, Edinho, Junior, Zico, Julio Cesar, Valdo and Socrates.
The idea for the film was conceived two and a half years ago at the Cannes Film Festival when award-winning director James Erskine met David Campbell.
Asking what was his greatest moment in sport, James was astonished when David told him it had to be when he played against the greatest team in football history, the “mighty Brazil” when Northern Ireland were at that time the smallest country ever to play in the World Cup Finals.
James said: “For me this told the perfect story about how sport can inspire and change. Northern Ireland in 1986 was full of troubles, yet for a select band of brothers they could play against the gods of football. No dream is bigger than that in football.
“And when I realised that Socrates was the captain of Brazil – it really emphasised to me how this really was a classical story of men taking on the gods, and learning about their own lives.”
David Campbell said the footballing world was looking forward to the film’s release.
He said: “There is a real buzz about this film. I met with FIFA vice president Jim Boyce a few weeks ago who is, of course, from Northern Ireland and he is extremely excited that the genuine achievements of our team will be demonstrated to the world through this film.”
He added “This is more than a football film, it shows a moment in our history when we achieved something brilliant, when we were put in front of the world and despite what was going on politically at that time were able to show how the whole of Ireland get behind us with good humour and passion. It’s a unique and up-lifting story.”
The chance meeting between the director and footballer developed into an idea which 4Rights (a division of Channel Four) and Northern Ireland Screen supported financially with the project given the green light earlier this year.
Filming began this week and it is hoped the movie will be released in May next year to coincide with next year’s World Cup, set appropriately in Brazil.
In a further fateful coincidence, the World Cup starts in 2014 on the exact date Northern Ireland played Brazil in 1986.
The film also features Four Weddings and a Funeral actor John Hannah as Billy Bingham, Conleth Hill (Whatever Works, Game of Thrones) as Jackie Fullerton it tells the story of a momentous time in Northern Ireland’s football history through the eyes of players, fans and members of the media.
Produced by the award winning New Black Films which includes Oscar-winning producer Victoria Gregory (Battle of the Sexes, Senna, Man on Wire) and director James Erskine (One Night in Turin, From the Ashes), the film is tipped to become a new classic feel-good movie.
The film also follows the lives of a passionate football supporter Arthur and his son Tommy from East Belfast. The lead up to a momentous day in the life of the young boy (his 10th birthday) mirrors the build up to the big day for the Northern Ireland team when they play the greatest match of their lives against Brazil.
Richard Dormer has been cast as Arthur, a Greek Philosophy-loving Harland and Wolff crane operator and 11 year old Art Parkinson as his young son Tommy who tries to make sense of the world through his love of the beautiful game.
The film also features the wit and wisdom of Brazil’s chain-smoking footballing genius, Socrates de Souza (now deceased) who, like his ancient namesake, was something of a philosopher.
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