“Incredible new insights into the legend and the impact he had on the worlds of football and politics”
An insight into an icon” is how one judge described Noah Media Group’s film about Jack Charlton – who helped England win the World Cup and managed the Ireland national team for a decade.
Finding Jack Charlton was filmed in the final 18 months of Charlton’s life, before he passed away in 2020. It reveals that he was living with dementia, and sensitively explores his condition through intimate access to him and his family.
The judges praised the “beautiful” and “well-crafted” way the film combines contemporary footage, unseen clips from the archive and private recordings filmed behind-the-scenes with his Ireland team.
They said this “extraordinary access” gives a glimpse of Charlton’s personality away from the spotlight and offers “incredible new insights into the legend and the impact he had on the worlds of football and politics”.
The directors had to incorporate Charlton’s sad passing as production neared its end, and the team decided that a portion of the profits, totalling more than £1m, would be donated to Alzheimer’s Society UK and The Alzheimer Society of Ireland.
The judges noted that the film sparked a much broader debate regarding links between dementia and footballers, making national headlines and raising awareness of the disease.
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