Set record because you will not want to miss this.
In 1991, a group of men sat down in Belfast to write a book of the dead. In doing so, they resolved to put on record the stories of what happened to every man, woman and child killed during The Troubles.
After eight years of painstaking research and heartbreaking interviews, these men detailed 3,700 lives that were shattered.
Their book is Lost Lives.
First published in 1999, the book was an act of remembrance, lest a single life be forgotten. However, unlike other books of this nature, Lost Lives has a profound difference.
It does not detail the acts of politicians and other major figures in the story of a conflict. Nor does it concern itself with talks or the breakdowns of talks. It was – and remains – the only book to record the circumstances of every single death during the conflict.
There are over 3,700 entries in the book. Over 3,700 lost lives.
Last year, the book was adapted into a film and it’s being shown on BBC1 at 9pm tonight.
Much like the book, Lost Lives is solely focused on depicting the human and emotional cost of The Troubles.
In the words of the journalists who wrote the novel- David McKittrick, Seamus Kelters, Brian Feeney, Chris Thornton and David McVea – the documentary “should serve as a lasting reminder of why Northern Ireland should never again return to full-scale conflict, a lasting reminder of the sadness and the pity of it all, a lasting reminder that war is hell.”
In terms of its narrative and aesthetic approach, the documentary features beautiful cinematography and a superb orchestral score that was recorded by the Ulster Orchestra and Codetta, an internationally-acclaimed choir from Derry.
The film also features an extraordinary cast of Irish actors, each reading extracts.
Featured in the film are: Brendan Gleeson, Liam Neeson, Kenneth Branagh, Bríd Brennan, Roma Downey, Adrian Dunbar, Michelle Fairley, Bronagh Gallagher, Dan Gordon, Ciarán Hinds, Conleth Hill, Susan Lynch, Des McAleer, Martin McCann, Ian McElhinney, Sean McGinley, James Nesbitt, Emer O’Connor, Stephen Rea, Judith Roddy, Michael Smiley and Bronagh Waugh.
At the time of its cinematic release, The Guardian described Michael Hewitt and Diarmuid Lavery’s documentary as “an immensely powerful film about a remarkable artefact” while the Irish Times hailed it as “a sobering, triggering reminder” of The Troubles.
Lost Lives stars at 9pm on BBC1.
Take a look at what’s in store.
Clip via DoubleBand Films
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