Inquiry: ‘no blessing for Bloody Sunday films’

Bloody Sunday inquiry chairman Lord Saville of Newdigate today moved to deny a suggestion by film-maker Jimmy McGovern that the tribunal appeared to have ‘‘given its blessing’’ to docu-dramas re-creating the tragedy.

He said any suggestion that the content, slant or style of the films had received the approval of the tribunal which is re-examining the Army killings of 13 men in Derry 30 years ago this week, was quite wrong.

One of the films, starring James Nesbitt, was broadcast on TV3 eight days ago while the McGovern film, "Sunday", is to be shown on Channel 4 tonight.

Opening the inquiry’s public hearing in the Guildhall, Derry, today, Lord Saville said he had been made aware of comments made by McGovern in which he appeared to indicate that because Lord Saville had viewed some of the filming on William Street and had not taken steps to stop it, the film had somehow ‘‘the tribunal’s blessing’’.

He said: ‘‘That may be no more than a figure of speech, but it may be open to interpretation that the tribunal has somehow approved the content, slant and style of the films. That of course is not the case.

‘‘I have not seen either film, much less have I approved or disapproved of the content.’’

Lord Saville said the tribunal would, in due course, reach its own conclusions on the basis of all the evidence received - and that did not include any film.

Earlier he said the tribunal had been concerned to investigate, and indeed had investigated, whether either of the film-makers had access to material not already available to the inquiry.

And he added later that the tribunal had no power at all to stop the broadcast of any lawful film.

Therefore it should not be thought that because the tribunal had not taken any steps to stop the films, it should not be implied that either film had its support, he said.