Academy Award-winning documentarian Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side) has directed an installment of ESPN’s 30 for 30 “Soccer Stories” series, which airs tonight at 7 p.m.
Gibney’s documentary, “Ceasefire Massacre,” tells the events of June 18, 1994: In Giants Stadium, English soccer coach Jack Charlton led the Republic of Ireland’s national team to a surprising victory over Italy — while thousands of miles away, two masked gunmen opened fire on a small Irish pub, killing five people and wounding six others.
In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter last week, Gibney explained why he was drawn to the story. “This was a match that everyone was going to in New Jersey to celebrate their Irish-ness,” Gibney said, “but there was a much deeper struggle going on that I think Americans were only dimly aware of.”
Gibney is one of many directors who have contributed documentaries to the series — Barry Levinson, Peter Berg, Steve James, Brett Morgen and Ice Cube have also made 30 for 30s for ESPN.
In addition to “Ceasefire Massacre,” Gibney’s documentary credits include We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks, Taxi to the Dark Side, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room and Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson, which are all Certified Fresh on the Tomatometer.
In 2011, Gibney directed the ESPN film, Catching Hell, which told the story of Steve Bartman, a fan at Wrigley Field who tried to catch a foul ball during the 2003 playoff series between the Chicago Cubs and the Florida Marlins.
For more TV news, visit the Rotten Tomatoes TV Zone.
