Irish director set to make movie surrounding murder of French filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier

Jim Sheridan is set to make a movie surrounding the unsolved murder of French filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier based on the style of the Hollywood classic movie 12 Angry Men.

Award winning Irish director Sheridan said,

"I will be making a full drama movie on the Sophie case and it will be based on the idea from 12 Angry Men. It is an idea we have been working on for a while and I believe there is huge public interest in the story."

39-year-old Sophie was found killed outside her holiday home in West Cork on December 23, 1996.

British journalist Ian Bailey, who lived near Sophie's holiday home near the village of Schull, was arrested twice on suspicion of her murder but there was insufficient evidence to charge him.

Bailey always maintained his innocence, saying he believed du Plantier was murdered by a hit man or a secret lover.

Sophie's son Pierre Louis Baudey has always been convinced that Bailey was guilty of the murder of his mother, and Bailey was tried in absentia by a court in France and subsequently found guilty in 2019.

He was sentenced to 25 years but Irish courts refused to extradite him on the grounds there wasn't sufficient evidence he had actually committed the murder.

Ian Bailey died this year on January 21 at the age of 66 from a suspected heart attack.

75-year-old Sheridan, who always believed Bailey was innocent, has been working on this case for more than eight years and has already released a Sky Documentary, Murder at the Cottage, to record viewing reviews.

"This is something I have always wanted to do and it will make gripping viewing", added Sheridan who directed classics such as In the Name of the Father and My Left Foot.

No actors have been revealed as of yet who will play the main roles.

A Garda cold case review into Sophie's death is still ongoing.