Film director Jim Sheridan expressed his belief that the late Ian Bailey was likely innocent in the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier in West Cork. The French film producer's body was discovered near her holiday home in Toormore on the outskirts of Schull in West Cork in 2006.

Jim Sheridan described the case as a 'double injustice', stating that Sophie's murderer has never been found and her death remains unavenged. He mentioned that Bailey, who passed away in January 2024, lived a difficult life and carried a negative reputation despite lacking evidence linking him to the crime.

Mr. Sheridan's new film 'Re Creation', which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, explores the scenario if the unsolved murder had gone to trial in Ireland. The movie features Colm Meaney, Aidan Gilles, and Vicky Krieps.

Ian Bailey, who was the prime suspect in the case, was twice questioned by Gardaí in relation to the murder. Despite being convicted in absentia in France in 2015 and sentenced to 25 years in prison, Bailey was not extradited to serve his sentence.

Jim Sheridan criticized Bailey's conviction in Paris, calling it a 'farce' and emphasized the lack of concrete evidence against him. While acknowledging Bailey's history of violence with his former partner, Sheridan highlighted the suffering experienced by both the Toscan du Plantier family and Bailey's own family.

Alain Spilliaert, a lawyer for the Toscan du Plantier family, expressed concerns about the film's content and timing, stating that it may not be appropriate to release a fictional movie during an ongoing criminal investigation.