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A Belfast-made documentary exploring the life and death of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands smashed the Irish box office record in its opening weekend.

In Northern Ireland, more cinema-goers watched Bobby Sands: 66 Days than went to both Star Trek and Ghostbusters, slotting in at No5 in the box office chart.

The movie, directed by Brendan J Byrne , enjoyed the second highest (non-concert) documentary opening of all time after Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11.

Patrick O’Neill, MD of Wildcard Distribution who released the film, said: “It’s a great achievement for Bobby Sands: 66 Days to break this box office record, and very rewarding for everyone at Wildcard and Fine Point who worked so hard on the film.

"Brendan and Trevor [Birney] are great film-makers, and they have made a stunning film about an icon that is resonating with audiences across the island of Ireland.

"The documentary has now surpassed the previous Irish record holder The Queen of Ireland’s opening weekend, which is testament to the quality of the production and the creativity delivered in a must-see film."