WATERFORD Omniplex will be showing the searing documentary ‘406 Days’ on Wednesday, May 24.

The sold-out screening will be followed by a Q&A hosted by WLR FM’s Damien Tiernan and featuring Debenhams workers Michelle Gavin and Joan Quinn, as well as director Joe Lee and producer Fergus Dowd.

The documentary follows the fallout from the sudden liquidation of the high street chain Debenhams across Ireland.

The sudden closure in April 2020 left workers across the country, including Waterford, without a job or a redundancy package.

The workers were denied their own redundancy package, even though it had been agreed upon by their union only several years previously.

The disregard shown by the company galvanised the staff to picket outside shuttered Debenhams outlets.

The pickets lasted throughout the lockdowns and changing safety protocols of the Covid-19 emergency.

Workers and their friends, families and supporters protested outside through rain, hail and shine. The documentary crew captured all their trials and tribulations in getting fair treatment, and they filmed across Dublin, Waterford, Cork, Tralee, Limerick and Newbridge.

The documentary itself has gone on to win three awards at the 2023 Dublin International Film Festival: The 2023 DIFF Audience Award, 2023 Dublin Film Critics Circle Award for Best Irish Documentary Award and the 2023 DIFF ICCL Human Rights Award.

‘406 Days’ will be showing nationally in selected cinemas from this Friday, May 26.

‘The Deise 5’ leaving Debenhams for the last time after their sit in at the store in City Square, Waterford, ended. Photo: Joe Evans