Jamie Dornan attended a special screening in Dublin on Monday night of his new movie The Siege of Jadotville, which tells the true-life story of the siege of 150 UN Irish troops in the Congo in 1961.
In the movie, Dornan plays army officer, Commandant Pat Quinlan, whose men held out for six days against a force of 3,000 local troops led by French and Belgian mercenaries working for mining companies.
Speaking to RTÉ News, the Co Down star said: "These guys were known as cowards in the Irish Army and the term `Jadotville Jacks' was used when people showed acts of cowardice, which still makes me very angry as I stand here right now. The fact that they're getting more recognition for their heroics is hugely important I think."
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Directed by Richie Smyth, and filmed on location in South Africa and Ireland, the film is adapted from Declan Power’s book The Siege at Jadotville: The Irish Army’s Forgotten Battle.
The film has already proved to a hit with audiences at its premiere at this year's Galway Film Fleadh, where it received a standing ovation. The reviews from those who attended were hugely positive.
Since the premiere, it’s been announced that the heroes of Jadotville and their families will be awarded a special military citation for bravery.
All the actors involved in the project said there was added pressure as they were portraying real-life characters who's stories deserved to be told.
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The Siege of Jadotville is on limited release in cinemas now and will also be available to stream on Netflix from Friday, October 7.
