UK sales firm 101 Films International, an Amcomri Entertainment company, has secured worldwide distribution rights to feature film The Shamrock Spitfire from award-winning filmmakers and digital artists Ian Higgins and Dominic Higgins, founders of Pixel Revolution Films.
2022 marks the 80th anniversary of the death of Irish World War II hero, Brendan “Paddy” Finucane, who at the age of just 21, became the youngest ever Wing Commander in the Royal Air Force, and one of its greatest and most celebrated fighter aces.
Directed and written by Ian and Dominic Higgins, The Shamrock Spitfire chronicles the epic true story of Brendan Finucane, or Spitfire Paddy as he was increasingly known, who was killed when a “one in a million chance” bullet from ground fire pierced the radiator of his spitfire during a mission over France. With his plane rapidly losing altitude, he attempted to fly back across the English Channel but was forced to ditch into the sea and he subsequently vanished. He remains listed as missing in action to this day.
Eoghan Burke, VP of International Sales at 101 Films International comments, “As well as being an adventure film with incredible special effects, this is a poignantly told story of true heroism delivered by a very young man who fought hard and ultimately paid the final price for the greater good. We are very pleased to offer this to the international market at AFM.”
Starring Shane O’Regan (Control), Chris Kaye (All Creatures Great and Small), Bethany Billy (Pan Tau), Eoin Lynch (Poldark), Emily Outred (Johnny English Strikes Again) and award-winning actor Carl Wharton (White Crow), the film is produced by award-winning film producer Nigel Martin Davey and executive produced by John Dawson, for Pixel Revolution Films. Trevor Beattie (Moon, Six Minutes to Midnight), co-Founder of Trevor Beattie Films, also acts as executive producer.
The future of Europe hangs by a thread as the fierce battles rage in the skies over southern England. Pilots from countries invaded by Germany were involved, including a handful of volunteers from Ireland. Brendan was one of these Irishmen.
RAF pilots were already seen as glamorous, and Brendan’s fame spread after he shot down the best-known German fighter pilot of the time, Adolph Galland. Battling at more than 10,000 feet with enemy aircraft requires a mixture of bravery, tactical awareness and brute force. Brendan had it all.