On April 9th, 2020, nearly 1,000 Irish Debenhams workers, most of them women, received a generic email telling them they were being made redundant. So began the longest-ever Irish industrial dispute in Ireland. The workers, denied their agreed redundancy package, voted to go on official strike and blocked stock being removed from the 11 closed Debenham stores by the liquidator. The workers remained on the picket lines, through the Covid-19 pandemic, for 406 days. They faced all challenges and year-round weather-fighting on with boundless courage, determination, and friendship. Filled with the stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things, 406days is a rousing celebration of the human spirit: a contemporary story about inequality and a struggle for fairness.
"In April 2020, thousands of Irish Debenhams workers received perfunctory emails informing them their services would no longer be required... Joe Lee’s gritty documentary reveals the stories of the women involved, many of whom are still traumatised." - Paul Whittington, The Independent
"It is an incredibly evocative piece, their feelings of anger and frustration are also felt by the audience on a deep personal level." - Lisa Dempsey, Film Ireland Magazine
"406 Days could hardly be bettered."- The Irish Times
"Compelling and inspirational."- Michael Doherty, RTÉ Guide
"Incisive and vital reportage."- John Maguire, Business Post
Winner - Audience Award: Dublin International Film Festival 2023
Winner - Best Irish Documentary: Dublin Film Critics Circle Award 2023
