A film inspired by the December 2004 robbery at Northern Bank headquarters in Belfast held its premiere there on Thursday. The theft involved two bank officials whose families were held hostage in Belfast and County Down. The officials loaded £26.5m in cash into a van at the Donegall Square West location.

No Ordinary Heist, directed and co-written by Colin McIvor, stars Eddie Marsan and Éanna Hardwicke as the bank employees. The actors attended the Belfast red carpet event alongside McIvor and co-writer Aisling Corristine. The production filmed in Belfast and Dublin locations.

Armed men took over the homes of the officials days before Christmas 2004. The officials removed the cash from vaults under duress. The van crossed the Irish border hours before the robbery occurred.

One official, Chris Ward from Poleglass, faced arrest in November 2005 on suspicion of aiding the robbers. A court found him not guilty in October 2008. No convictions have resulted from direct involvement in the robbery.

The majority of the stolen money remains unrecovered. Northern Bank withdrew most of its notes after the event and issued new ones.