This is the story of one of the most spectacular failures in Irish publishing.
Early in 2002, four Irish magazine publishers took the biggest risk of their collective careers. They wagered half-a-million euros and their not-inconsiderable reputations on the fragile premise that they could create a new niche in one of the worlds most cramped and competitive publishing markets – the Sunday tabloid. Lead by the capricious and often-controversial John Ryan – one of the brightest of Ireland’s new publishing entrepreneurs – the team included Melanie Morris, editor of the style magazine d’Side, and Ashville Media’s John Donnelly and Diarmuid Lennon.
Their brainchild was called Stars On Sunday. It would have no journalists, no editorial, no glossy stock – just cover-to-cover photographs of Irish celebrities, press launches and weddings.
‘Any Given Sunday;The Rise And Fall of Stars On Sunday’ follows the fledgling title from the heady days of start-up through to the turmoil of the final days and gives us a mesmerising insight into the story behind the biggest failure in Irish publishing in recent history.
(2002. Ireland. Beta. Colour. 80mins)
Directed by: Simon Gibney