The Journey to screen at Venice Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival
Date Posted: July 26, 2016
The Journey will have its World Premiere at the 73rd Venice Film Festival and as well as a Special Presentation screening at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The Journey, a dramatic comedy inspired by a turning point in British and Irish history, will be screened out of competition at the Venice Film Festival which runs August 31st – Sept 10th.
The film focuses on the improbable friendship between two Northern Ireland political titans and implacable enemies, Ian Paisley (Timothy Spall) and Martin McGuinness (Colm Meaney), when they were forced to take a short journey and the biggest leap of faith. It is at this moment the future of British and Irish history is altered, as two sworn enemies put their past actions behind them and begin to forge a friendship that would lead them to be known as “The Chuckle Brothers”.
The additional stellar cast includes Toby Stephens (Believe, The Machine, Severance) as Prime Minister Tony Blair, Freddie Highmore (The Golden Compass, The Spiderwick Chronicles) as Jack, The Driver, a young government employee tasked to drive Paisley and McGuinness on their journey, and Oscar-nominated John Hurt (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Hercules, The Elephant Man) as Harry, an accomplished veteran political fixer overseeing the St. Andrews Agreement.
Nick Hamm (The Hole, Killing Bono) directs, from a script by Northern Ireland writer Colin Bateman.
Prolific independent entertainment studio IM Global is financing the film through its Acclaim speciality division, in association with Lipsync and Northern Ireland Screen supported by Invest NI, and will also handle international sales. Greenroom / Tempo Entertainment, Nick Hamm, Mark Huffam (The Martian), and Piers Tempest (Like Minds) are producing, with IM Global Founder and CEO Stuart Ford and President of Production Matt Jackson executive producing.
Richard Williams, CEO, Northern Ireland Screen: “Northern Ireland Screen is very proud that The Journey has been selected to have its World Premiere at the Venice Film Festival as well as its North American Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Having supported The Journey through development and production we are delighted that the audiences at Venice and Toronto can experience this story about an important time in Northern Ireland’s history. It is testament to the creative talent of Nick, Colin and the world-class cast and crew working in the industry in Northern Ireland that two internationally renowned film festivals have selected to screen The Journey.”
