Netflix and Element Pictures Distribution announced today that they will partner on the UK and Ireland theatrical release for the Netflix Original Film, The Siege of Jadotville produced by Irish production company Parallel Films. The partnership will make The Siege of Jadotville available in select cinemas across Ireland and the UK on September 19th, and the film will launch on Netflix, everywhere the service is available, on October 7th.
Directed by Richie Smyth and written by Kevin Brodbin, The Siege of Jadotville is a gripping true story of incredible bravery against impossible odds, as it 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. Featuring a stellar line-up of acting talent including Jamie Dornan, Mark Strong, Jason O’Mara, Guillaume Canet and Sam Keeley. The Siege of Jadotville is produced by Alan Moloney (Brooklyn, Albert Nobbs, Byzantium) for Parallel Films as well as Richie Smyth and Kevin Brodbin.
There will be a special screening of the film in Dublin on September 19th in The Savoy Cinema to celebrate the film and honor the surviving Jadotville soldiers. Following the screening, there will be a Q&A with Jamie Dornan, Richie Smyth and Alan Moloney, which will be live streamed to cinemas throughout Ireland.
Speaking on the release, Moloney commented
I’m incredibly proud of this film and thrilled that Element Pictures Distribution are releasing the film throughout Irish and UK cinemas this September and that this important story will be available to over 83 million viewers worldwide on Netflix shortly thereafter.
Andrew Lowe of Element Pictures Distribution added:
The Siege of Jadotville is an accomplished exciting and heart rendering action film about an extraordinary episode in the proud history of the Irish Army’s UN peace keeping missions. We are delighted to be working with Parallel Films and Netflix to enable Irish audiences see this film in cinemas across the country before its launch on Netflix.