Gangster movie starts filming in Derry
A gangster movie set in Derry and starring Spandau Ballet member Martin Kemp began shooting in the city this weekend.
'The Best Years' is directed by Galliagh man, Danny Patrick, who also wrote the script for the film. This is his first major project in Derry.
Joining Kemp on the cast list are Colin Salmon, (Die Another Day,) Anna Nightingale and Slaine Kelly (The Tudors). The plot centres around a group of gangsters who set out to use the Apprentice Boys March to further their own get rich quick scheme.
Most of the Derry shoot concentrates on outside scenes featuring on location work at The Craigavon Bridge as well as Marlborough Street.
Director Danny Patrick said: "It has been great, I'm delighted to get back here. I have been working on the script for a long time and we had the funding withdrawn in 2007 so it has been a long road and a lot of work to get it off the ground.
"I wrote the script in order to show off Derry so we have been shooting on Craigavon Bridge, The Metro, The Everglades Hotel and at Marlbrough Street. Of course it rained every time we went outside, that is one thing I haven't missed too much," joked Danny, who has called London home for the last 20 years."
He continued: "Jim Roddy of the City Centre Initiative has been a massive help to the project, I must thank him and the staff and owners of The Metro Bar as we closed most of it down the other day during the shoot. Though it was the hardest work we have done spending 14 hours in a pub."
Asked was it a sense of personal pride to have begun shooting the movie, in his home town after it looked like the project would be mothballed, Danny said: "It will be when it is done."
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Weather for Derry
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 26 C
Wind Speed: 29 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
