The makers of the upcoming Netflix documentary on the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier have described Ian Bailey as a divisive character who "inspires strong feelings" in people.
A new three-part Netflix series, Sophie: A Murder in West Cork, examines the murder of the French documentary producer in 1996.
The 39-year-old's murder remains unsolved, and the new documentary included access to both the victim's family and the man who quickly became the main suspect.
In 2019, a French court found Ian Bailey guilty of murder and sentenced him to 25 years in prison.
However, the Irish High Court refused to extradite Mr Bailey to France last year, and he has always maintained his innocence in relation to Ms Toscan du Plantier's death.
John Dower, the director of the three-part Netflix series and producer Sarah Lambert joined John Fardy on Screentime this week to discuss their documentary.
"There was a desire to have Sophie's family involved in the filmmaking, that was very important, because so often in these true-crime series, the victim gets a passing mention," Mr Dower said.
"What Sophie's family have done over the 25 years is pretty extraordinary.
"There's a moment in one of the episodes in which one of the characters who knew of Sophie talks about how in true-crime, the murdered woman becomes an absolute cliche, blonde, beautiful.
"Sophie was blonde and beautiful but she was, like all of us, incredibly complicated and I think it was important to show that side of her.
"She had a turbulent marriage, some pretty turbulent relationships in the past, and there's this contradiction in her between married to a very big French film producer...and being in the limelight but wanting this solitude and being in love with this cottage in west Cork."
Ms Lambert added: "What I found really interesting coming back to the case as an adult, I think your perspective is different but also, so much happens over a long period of time.
"There's years between trials but when you see it condensed into three episodes, that's when you really think, what has happened, the amount of twist and turns, it really is pretty mindblowing."
A still of Sophie Toscan du Plantier from the Netflix documentary 'Sophie: A Murder in West Cork'. Photo: NetflixThe filmmakers interviewed Ian Bailey for the series, but he subsequently decided to sign an exclusive contract with the recently-released Sky Crime five-part series by Irish filmmaker Jim Sheridan, Murder at the Cottage.
They both describe him as a divisive character, who could often be seen in the local pub reciting his own poetry.
"With Ian Bailey, one of his main complaints is that there was anti-English sentiment against him in Ireland," Mr Dower said.
"I'm English, but I wouldn't stand up on a table in Ireland and recite terrible poetry.
"I think he was a very imposing character and a difficult character for a lot of people.
"Both of us have met Ian several times and he can be charming and conversely he can be a difficult character."
Ian Bailey. Photo: RollingNews.ieMs Lambert said: "There's a lot of shades to Ian Bailey and I also think, he inspires a very strong feeling in a lot of people
"There are people in the series, friends of his, a journalist, an actress, who think he's great and then there's people who considered him to be a pub bore.
"There's one woman who mentions, a personality like Ian's wouldn't be out of place in the King's Road in London.
"But when you take a big personality like Ian's and you put them in a small community I think it magnifies things.
She said that she doesn't want the film to influence people's assessment of whether Ian Bailey is guilty or not, but rather seeks to present information from both sides to allow them to draw their own conclusions.
Mr Bailey has not seen the series yet, they added.
"He hasn't seen it, I know he did an interview last week saying he felt it was like a demonisation piece but he hasn't seen it so that would be Ian's assumption as opposed to anything based on his own viewing," Ms Labert said.
'Sophie: A Murder in West Cork' will stream on Netflix from Wednesday, June 30th
