Get the latest Welsh rugby news sent straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

It was an adventure of epic proportions, an underdog story worthy of a blockbuster movie.

And now Wales’ incredible journey to the semi-finals of the 2016 European Championships is hitting the big screen.

Don’t Take Me Home - named after the signature song of Wales’ indomitable army of football fans, the Red Wall - will be released in cinemas across the UK on March 3.

There are special preview screenings across Wales and select UK locations to mark St David’s Day on March 1.

The documentary from Jonny Owen – described by The Guardian as “football’s greatest filmmaker” – tells the story of a remarkable few weeks in France as Wales shook the footballing world.

As history unfolds on screen the film focuses on the players, manager and supporters who played their part in creating the greatest moments in Welsh football.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

For 60 years, Wales had tried and failed to qualify for a major football tournament. Having gone through the grief of previous manager Gary Speed’s tragic death, heavy defeats, and positioned as a tiny country team with no pedigree, all bets were off for how the underdogs would perform.

Led by superstar Gareth Bale, the team quickly became the outside favourites, dazzling millions of viewers.

For those long-suffering Welsh football fans who witnessed it, this was the greatest story ever told.

Owen said he was on holidays in Tenerife when he was asked to create the film.

The Cardiff fanzone as Wales score their first goal of Euro 2016

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

“I said I would fly home now if I could to start it,” he said. “I was so pleased to get it and have spent months working on it.

“The good thing is nobody has any idea it’s been coming,” he added. “Since September I’ve been locked away in an edit suite, interviewing all the players, as well as the manager Chris Coleman and his assistant Osian Roberts – trying to keep it secret from all my mates and I’ve managed to do it. So I’m hoping everybody will be saying, ‘where has this come from’?”

The Merthyr-born film-maker, who recently produced I Believe In Miracles - the award-winning story of the Nottingham Forest European Cup-winning side of the late '70s, said Don’t Take Me Home is so much more than the story of Euro 2016.

“It’s not just the Euros, it’s a story of a team and a country recovering from the tragedy of Gary Speed’s passing. And it’s Chris Coleman’s story of having to cope with that and with a team still grieving.

“It took them a long time to recover from that as it would, but then by the time the Euros came round we were all talking about the golden generation, potentially the best team we’ve had since the greats of 1958 – and they delivered in qualifying finally.

“But what is so great and so remarkable about the story is that I’m very aware that we didn’t win it. So it’s not in any way triumphal.

"This film is not going to end with ‘We Are The Champions’ by Queen.

"But what you can’t deny is that when Wales finally got on to the big stage we revelled in it.

"The smallest country in history to get to a European Championship semi-final. An astonishing achievement.

(Image: Publicity picture)

"We beat the favourites in the quarter-final, beat the biggest country in the world, were the top goalscorers at one point, there were all these remarkable statistics.”

Don’t Take Me Home will be released in cinemas across the UK on March 3, with special preview screenings across Wales and select UK locations to mark St David’s Day on March 1. The soundtrack includes music by Richard Hawley, The Small Faces, Super Furry Animals and Mogwai amongst others.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

Find out more about Don’t Take Me Home at: www.dont-take-me-home.com

Don’t Take Me Home will be shown in the following cinemas in Wales:

Aberdare Coliseum

Bridgend - Odeon

Broughton - Cineworld