A film dramatising the Holy Cross dispute has begun production – but instead of being on location on the streets of north Belfast, the cast of Irish actors are filming in England.
The BBC drama focusing on the controversial protest, which is to be called Red and Blue, began shooting in Liverpool on Monday.
It can be revealed by the Irish News that the film stars a host of top Irish actors including The Commitments actress Bronagh Gallagher, McCallam and Sliding Doors star Zara Turner, Patrick O'Kane and Colum Convey.
The drama will aim to provide a step-by-step account of the events leading up to the dispute, which catapulted the Ardoyne community to the top of the news agenda all over the world.
Two fictional families caught up in the dispute with loyalist pickets which started in September 2001 form the basis of the Red and Blue storyline. The film will portray the three-month stand-off, which centred on the rights of Catholic schoolgirls to walk past the loyalist Glenbryn area to the Holy Cross Primary School.
Pictures of terrified small schoolgirls clinging to their parents as they were escorted to school by police in riot gear have become among the most enduring images of the protest.
The infamous dispute ended in November 2001.
A number of reservations about the making of the drama have already been expressed by school representatives and parents.
However, the Irish News has learned that chairman of the board of governors Father Aidan Troy and a number of other school representatives are to meet with BBC officials later this week to discuss the programme.
Head of Drama at BBC Northern Ireland Robert Cooper said: "This was an important story that attracted world attention.
"The story is about fear, identity, community, territory, trust and enmity in a polarised society where politics and community relations have failed.
"Red and Blue sees the 'Holy Cross' dispute through the eyes of two fictional families and provides an insight into the actions and emotions of those involved on both sides – an insight which goes beyond the blunt images of hatred and anger shown in the news reports of the time."
