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Five Minutes Of Heaven, which stars Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt, has won the prestigious World Cinema Directing Award and World Cinema Screenwriting Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival.

A Big Fish/Ruby Films Production for ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Northern Ireland, Pathé, Northern Ireland Screen, Element Pictures and the Irish Film Board, Five Minutes Of Heaven, directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel (Downfall) and written by Guy Hibbert (Omagh), explores aspects of Northern Ireland's troubled past and the challenges the future holds in coming to terms with it.

"It's a real honour to have been selected but to have been given two awards is amazing," says Oliver Hirschbiegel.

Guy Hibbert adds: "Heartfelt thanks go to Oliver, Jimmy and Liam and everyone in our production team.

“But I must give special thanks to Joe and Alistair, the two men whose story I was telling. They collaborated with me for three years re-living the most painful and defining moment of their lives."

The film's star, Liam Neeson, who said he was honoured to be a part of the film, congratulates the two winners: "A script like this comes along in an actor's life rarely and to work with the wonderful Oliver Hirschbiegel and to shoot back home in Northern Ireland was a double bonus."

Producer Eoin O'Callaghan says, "I'm thrilled by the awards for Oliver Hirschbiegel and Guy Hibbert. The festival's generous and considered endorsement holds real meaning for us and has made the work of the last three years entirely worthwhile."

Patrick Spence, Head of Drama, ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Northern Ireland, adds: "Part of the role of ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ drama is to look at difficult historical and social moments in our history. With Five Minutes Of Heaven, Guy Hibbert was commissioned to explore the legacy of violence in Northern Ireland. The fact that the story speaks to communities worldwide is a testament to the quality of work that he and Oliver have brought to the piece."

Executive Producer Paul Trijbits says: "Thanks to Guy Hibbert's script and Oliver Hirschbiegel's powerful direction, the film has been recognised by the Sundance Film Festival with these two fantastic awards. It's also wonderful to repeat the success of Bloody Sunday, which won in 2002."

Through an extraordinary research and interview process screenwriter Guy Hibbert created an accurate, dramatised reconstruction of the real events when in 1975, 11-year-old Catholic, Joe Griffin, witnessed the killing of his brother by a young Ulster Volunteer Force member, Alistair Little.

The film explores the impact of the legacy of violence on both men.

Working closely with both men, screenwriter Guy Hibbert created a unique and compelling screenplay that moves from a powerful re-enactment of these tragic events to a fictional interpretation of what might happen should these two men ever come face to face.

Joe Griffin is played by BAFTA-nominated actor James Nesbitt (Murphy's Law, Bloody Sunday, which won the 2002 Sundance Audience Award).

The role of Alistair, 30 years on, is played by Liam Neeson, best known for his role as Oskar Schindler in Steven Spielberg's Oscar-winning Schindler's List.

Five Minutes Of Heaven is produced by Eoin O'Callaghan at Big Fish Films and the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s Stephen Wright and Ruby Films' Paul Trijbits (The Wind That Shakes The Barley, Bloody Sunday), ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s Patrick Spence, Element Pictures' Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe and Pathe's Cameron McCracken and Francois Ivernel.

Co-financed by Northern Ireland Screen, The Irish Film Board/Bord Scannan na hEireann and Element Pictures, Pathe is distributing the film in the UK and handling international sales. Element Pictures is distributing the film in Ireland.

The film was originally commissioned by Jane Tranter, former Controller of Fiction, ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳, and Roly Keating, former Controller of ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Two.

The film receives its UK and Irish premieres in Belfast and in Dublin during February 2009.

GJ