Saipan

Saipan explores the explosive clash between soccer star Roy Keane (Éanna Hardwicke) and manager Mick McCarthy (Steve Coogan) before the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Their feud, rooted in clashing standards and personalities, erupted on the island of Saipan, shaking the Irish team and nation. As Keane walked out, McCarthy faced chaos. This gripping true story goes beyond sport, it’s a dramatic, often comic tale of leadership, loyalty, and a rivalry that captured global attention.

The latest film from directors Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn (following 2012’s Good Vibrations and 2019’s Ordinary People), is an uproariously entertaining tragicomedy about one of the defining moments in Irish sporting history. With perfectly matched performances from Éanna Hardwicke and Steve Coogan as the two opposing figures in this infamous tête-à-tête, Saipan is just as unmissable for both football fans and those drawn to gripping tales of all-or-nothing power struggles.

Image courtesy of Wildcard Distribution.

Lisa Barros D'Sa, Glenn Leyburn | Ireland, United Kingdom | 2025 | 91 mins

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