Maze escape movie to film in Cork Prison

A film based on the true story of an infamous mass escape of Irish Republican Army (IRA) prisoners from HM Prison Maze in Northern Ireland will be filmed partly in a former prison building in the Irish Republic.

By Nick Goundry 4 Apr 2016

Maze escape movie to film in Cork Prison

A film based on the true story of an infamous mass escape of Irish Republican Army (IRA) prisoners from HM Prison Maze in Northern Ireland will be filmed partly in a former prison building in the Irish Republic.

The Maze Prison was a maximum security facility in County Antrim used to house IRA inmates throughout much of the Troubles in Northern Ireland from 1971 through to 2000. In the autumn of 1983, nearly 40 prisoners escaped in the biggest prison break in Europe since the Second World War.

New feature film MAZE will tell the story of the break-out. The film is an Irish-Swedish co-production being directed by Stephen Burke and will shoot scenes at the recently-decommissioned Cork Prison in County Cork, south-eastern Ireland.

“With the assistance of the Irish Prison Services and helped by Film In Cork offering on-the-ground support on both locations and skilled local crew in the Cork area, the prison itself is a perfect stand-in for the notorious Maze prison and offers unrivalled production value,” said Steven Davenport, the film’s line producer.

The Maze has previously appeared as a setting in films like Steve McQueen’s seminal Hunger (pictured) – the story of IRA member Bobby Sands’ infamous hunger strike in 1981 – which starred Michael Fassbender.

Production in Ireland is generally based in and around Dublin, where the country’s main studio facilities are situated.

The Star Wars franchise has been a high-profile visitor to the west of the country over the past year. Episode VIII will soon return to film scenes along the so-called Wild Atlantic Way on the west coast.

For more on filming in Ireland see our production guide.

New feature film MAZE will tell the story of the break-out. The film is an Irish-Swedish co-production being directed by Stephen Burke and will shoot scenes at the recently-decommissioned Cork Prison in County Cork, south-eastern Ireland.

“With the assistance of the Irish Prison Services and helped by Film In Cork offering on-the-ground support on both locations and skilled local crew in the Cork area, the prison itself is a perfect stand-in for the notorious Maze prison and offers unrivalled production value,” said Steven Davenport, the film’s line producer.

The Maze has previously appeared as a setting in films like Steve McQueen’s seminal Hunger (pictured) – the story of IRA member Bobby Sands’ infamous hunger strike in 1981 – which starred Michael Fassbender.

Production in Ireland is generally based in and around Dublin, where the country’s main studio facilities are situated.

The Star Wars franchise has been a high-profile visitor to the west of the country over the past year. Episode VIII will soon return to film scenes along the so-called Wild Atlantic Way on the west coast.

For more on filming in Ireland see our production guide.

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