The Runway is inspired by the true story of a South American pilot who landed his plane near Mallow, in 1983. Against all odds, the people of the town came together to build a runway to get him home and briefly caught the imagination of the nation. It is the story of Paco, a young boy without a father who adopts the pilot and convinces the town to build a runway to get him home.
Acting
Demián Bichir brings gravitas to a role that could've been pure cheese.
Production
Period-perfect 1980s rural Ireland—every tweed jacket is doing heavy lifting.
Director
Ian Power
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The real 1983 incident involved a Colombian pilot who landed near Mallow due to fuel shortage—the town actually did build him a runway using farm equipment.
The film captures a specific moment in Irish history: pre-Celtic Tiger, pre-globalization, when a South American stranger could still feel genuinely exotic to rural communities.
IE
LU
