This year’s Shetland Arts’ Screenplay Film Festival will be hosting a very special screening of Dan Gordon’s extraordinary documentary, Hillsborough.
On 15 April 1989, at an FA Cup Semi-Final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest held at Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield, a fatal crush on the terraces led to the death of 96 men, women and children and hundreds of serious injuries. Within days the police and press blamed drunkenness, ticketlessness and aggressive behaviour by Liverpool fans. Despite a public inquiry and the longest inquests in legal history, it took a 27 year campaign by bereaved families and survivors before new inquests exonerated the fans and returned a verdict of unlawful killing. The Hillsborough disaster represents one of the longest and most painful fights for justice in British legal history.
Daniel Gordon’s BAFTA winning film meticulously and powerfully presents the true story of how families and campaigners fought for final vindication of those who had suffered on that day.
Professor Phil Scraton, factual consultant for this film, headed the research for the Hillsborough Independent Panel, was primary author of its ground-breaking 2012 Report, and is the author of the definitive account of the disaster, Hillsborough: The Truth. He has been awarded the Freedom of the City of Liverpool. Phil stated, “Dan’s exceptional film has received deserved international acclaim, recognising the families’ and survivors’ profound dedication and commitment over three decades. Their unbending determination and resilience to achieve justice for their loved ones has been remarkable, and I am privileged to have played a part in revealing the truth”.
Screenplay Festival Director Kathy Hubbard said that the festival was honoured to have Phil visit and undertake a Q&A after the screening. “We’d like to thank Amnesty International Shetland for its support of this screening of Dan Gordon’s affecting and phenomenal film.”
The screening will take place at Mareel at 2.15pm on Sunday 3 September. Tickets are available in person from the box office at Mareel, by phone on 01595 745500, or online.
