John Hume in America, RTÉ One, Tuesday, August 7th at 9.35pm
On Tuesday August 7th, Maurice Fitzpatrick’s powerful documentary film John Hume in America will be televised on RTÉ at 9.35pm.
This is the compelling story of Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume and his pursuit of the political process in Northern Ireland and his success in creating new political structures in Ireland from the Civil Rights Movement through to peace process. The film shows how Hume cultivated the support of a succession of US presidents to harness US support to forge an inclusive peace in Ireland. In the film, President Bill Clinton calls Hume ‘the Martin Luther King of the Irish conflict’.
Narrated by Liam Neeson, with an original musical score by Bill Whelan (Riverdance), this 90 minute documentary includes compelling footage from the conflict in Northern Ireland and interviews with former American Presidents, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and John Major and Taoisigh Bertie Ahern and Enda Kenny, who all discuss Hume’s vital role as one of the key agents of transformation in Northern Ireland. At a time of political instability, this is a timely film examining steady leadership and international co-operation.
The film was written, directed and produced by Maurice Fitzpatrick who is also the author of a new book John Hume in America From Derry to DC, (Irish Academic Press, November 2017) with the co-operation and participation of the Hume family, particularly with regards to perspectives on John Hume’s strategy in the US.
The film was funded by RTÉ, the BAI, the DFAT and Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board.
The documentary trailer: