The Big Yin – complete with banana boots!

The long lost film of Billy Connolly’s 1975 tour of Ireland, newly restored.

Inspired by the fly-on-the-wall style of DA Pennebaker’s Bob Dylan documentary Don’t Look Back, director Murray Grigor presents the legendary Billy Connolly at his beguiling best, using humour and charm to successfully navigate the political tensions of 1970s Dublin and Belfast. Featuring iconic stand-up material alongside fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpses, this previously elusive milestone of British comedy is now newly restored in 2K from original 16mm materials.

This loving restoration by the BFI was undertaken in collaboration with Murray Grigor, Douglas Weir, National Library of Scotland, University of California and R3Store Studios, using the only 16mm print known to exist.