A powerful new short film exploring the lives of women caught in Northern Ireland’s criminal justice system will premiere at Belfast’s historic Crumlin Road Gaol. Bubble, written and directed by acclaimed playwright Patricia Downey of Spanner in the Works Theatre Company, adapts her award-winning stage play Runny Honey for the screen, offering audiences a rare, authentic glimpse into the emotional isolation faced by women prisoners.
The production, filmed on location inside Maghaberry Prison, marks a unique collaboration between the Department of Justice, the Northern Ireland Prison Service, and the arts sector. It represents a significant investment from the Assets Recovery Community Scheme (ARCS), which channels proceeds of crime confiscation orders into community projects that address the root causes and consequences of criminal activity.
From Stage to Screen: Award-Winning Origins
Bubble brings Downey’s internationally recognised stage work to a new medium. The original play, Runny Honey, won the theatre production award at the Buxton Fringe in 2022 and has garnered acclaim for its unflinching examination of three women thrown together in prison. The film maintains the play’s raw intensity while expanding its reach beyond the theatre.
Key details about the production include:
- Location: Filmed entirely on location at Maghaberry Prison, a high-security facility housing adult male long-term and remand prisoners, though the film focuses on women’s experiences within the broader system
- Premiere Venue: Crumlin Road Gaol, the decommissioned Victorian prison in north Belfast now operating as a heritage and events centre
- Themes: Addiction, mental health, domestic abuse, and the ripple effects of crime on families and communities
- Funding: Supported by ARCS, with half of all proceeds from crime confiscation orders since 2012 directed to such community safety initiatives
Perspectives on Justice and Rehabilitation
Patricia Downey, who serves as Artistic Director for Spanner in the Works, has built a 20-year career creating theatre that engages with marginalised communities. She described the film’s purpose in direct terms:
“Bubble is about giving a voice to women whose stories are too often unheard or misunderstood. My hope is that audiences will come away with a deeper sense of empathy – not just for those in prison, but for the circumstances, trauma and social issues that can lead people there. If it shifts even one perspective, it has achieved something important.”
Beverley Wall, Director General of the Northern Ireland Prison Service, emphasised the project’s alignment with rehabilitation goals:
“Projects like Bubble are incredibly important because they help us to see the human stories behind the justice system. This film brings difficult, often hidden realities into the open in a way that is both honest and compassionate.
“The Prison Service focus is not only on safe custody, but on supporting people to reflect, rebuild and move forward. Creative work like this can play a powerful part in that journey – encouraging understanding and offering a different perspective on the lives behind the headlines.”
Funding Justice Through Justice
The ARCS programme provides a notable circular narrative: money recovered from convicted criminals funds projects that prevent re-offending and support rehabilitation. Since 2012, over £9 million has been distributed to community initiatives under the scheme, which is managed by the Department of Justice Protection and Organised Crime Division.
This funding model embodies a deliberate attempt to divert ill-gotten gains toward healing. However, the Department’s guidance notes that ARCS funding is not intended for capital projects or long-term salary costs, suggesting recipients must demonstrate sustainable impact within limited timeframes.
Context and Unanswered Questions
The film’s release comes at a time of increasing concern about women within Northern Ireland’s prison system. According to recent statistics, the female prison population has risen significantly—from 74 women in 2019/20 to 90 in 2023/24—while research indicates that short-term imprisonment may have more negative impacts on women’s rehabilitation prospects than community-based alternatives.
Several details about the production remain unclear from the announcement:
- The exact runtime and premiere date have not been specified
- The full cast list mentions only actor Claire Cogan alongside Downey
- The specific budget allocation from ARCS has not been disclosed
- Logistical details regarding how filming was conducted within an active high-security prison, and whether any current prisoners participated in or observed the production, remain unclear
The choice to premiere at Crumlin Road Gaol—where the Victorian architecture stands in stark contrast to Maghaberry’s modern facilities—raises interesting questions about how historical and contemporary penal environments shape public perception of justice.
Five Questions for Consideration
- How will the film be distributed to ensure it reaches the communities and policymakers best positioned to act on its messages?
- What safeguards and ethical protocols were established during filming in Maghaberry to protect the wellbeing of any vulnerable participants or prisoners who may have been present?
- Given the rising female prison population, will the Department of Justice expand ARCS funding specifically for gender-responsive rehabilitation projects?
- How will the Prison Service measure the impact of such creative interventions on staff training and public attitudes toward incarceration?
- Could this model of prison-based filmmaking be extended to capture male prisoners’ experiences, or would that require fundamentally different narrative approaches?
Festival Circuit and Future Distribution
Following its Belfast premiere, Bubble is slated for submission to film festivals across Ireland and internationally. The production team aims to spark broader conversations about justice, inequality, and the potential for personal transformation within secure settings.
Media enquiries regarding the project should be directed to the Department of Justice Press Office via press.office@justice-ni.gov.uk or telephone 028 9052 6444.