Scheduled for release later this year, locations such as Castletownshend, Long Strand Beach, Castlefreke and Bantry House will feature in the film, titled Jimmy, with West Cork Film Studios also proving key to attracting the film to the county. West Cork doubles for locations like LA, Pennsylvania and Tibenham Air Force Base in the UK in the movie. 

Set from 1941 to 1945, Jimmy focuses on a transformative period in Stewart’s life, having become a movie star in roles like The Philadelphia Story and The Shop Around the Corner. He became a combat pilot during the Second World War, only to return broken and disheartened. But then one of his most beloved roles — as George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life — came calling.

“Like a lot of people I grew up watching Jimmy Stewart movies and enjoying his westerns and some of his thrillers later on,” says producer and director Aaron Burns, who was involved in bringing the film to West Cork. 

“I never had any idea that his life story itself would be so interesting. I actually stumbled across two articles he wrote a number of years ago, one talking about his war service, and then the other talking about the making of It's a Wonderful Life. 

"I was just shocked at how closely his story mirrored George Bailey's story as you see the arc of his journey. So we went to connect with his daughter, Kelly, and she came on as an executive producer to help us craft the screenplay and craft the story.”

Actor KJ Apa plays Stewart in the film, which begins just after his Oscar win for The Philadelphia Story, as war looms. The film, which focuses on this period of Stewart’s life, is backed by Screen Ireland. 

“He decided to go serve his country and serve the world by fighting against the evil of the Nazis at the time,” says Burns. 

“He comes home broken. He was a war hero. He was awarded all of these medals and all of these awards. Through the making of It's a Wonderful Life, the first project he made when he came back home, he finds his vocation through storytelling and his own personal healing through the telling of that story. 

"That movie goes on to touch the lives of millions, and still does today. So just to get to tell that story through that lens was so much fun and I feel it just resonates with the condition the world is in right now so deeply to me.”

While scouting locations and speaking with contacts and colleagues in this part of the world, the makers of Jimmy decided to film in West Cork, with the region doubling for rural England and other locations in the film. Hundreds of Irish crew, extras and performers were involved in the production. It was a hugely positive experience, says Burns.

“As we were looking for places to film, I had some friends in Ireland, and they said: rural England and rural Ireland, there are some similarities there. You guys have such wonderful crews and talent that we reached out to our friends there, and they said, come on over and let's look. We found all the locations we needed there.

“It was such a great experience for us to come over. I brought my family with me, and so did a lot of my fellow teammates, and we just felt so welcomed by the community. The (West Cork-based) film producer, David Putnam, who produced some of my favourite movies, was friends with Jimmy Stewart years ago, and when he heard we were making the story, he came out to visit and gave us some advice and feedback.”

He adds that the availability of West Cork Film Studios was a driving force, as the production needed a film studio setting as a central location. 

“Without that studio, we couldn't have done it, because we had to recreate most of our LA scenes that were in a film studio,” says Burns. “The shooting at the back lot of It's a Wonderful Life — we had to have that facility.”

The fact that Ireland now has a mature and strong indigenous film industry meant that the film was able to benefit from local talent, says Burns. 

“We had maybe 10 cast members from America, and probably about the same on crew, and then 200 Irish. Our director of photography, our production designer, our hair, makeup, wardrobe, our full lighting department, our entire art department, our editor. When we wrap up this call, I'm jumping on another call with our colour team in Dublin, they're doing post-production there. Two of our producers, all of our background (cast). It was very much an Irish production, and very from that community.

“We felt the community rally around us in fun ways,” adds Burns, with the crew based in Skibbereen and beyond. 

“We had nothing but gracious reception from the local shop owners and the local restaurants and the local people. We had so much support, no negativity from anyone and location owners willing to let us come and film there.

“We enjoyed eating at The Fish Basket and eating at The Church Restaurant in Skibbereen and a bunch of other places in town that welcomed us. We ate way too many pastries from Fields Bakery.”

The production team is excited at the prospect of bringing the story of this period of Stewart’s life to the big screen, says Burns, adding that the old adage, 'don't get too close to your heroes, or you'll be disappointed', proved not to be the case. 

“With Jimmy, I found the opposite to be entirely true. I knew nothing about him except that I liked his movies. But when you dig into it, you unpack these layers of a man who went through deep trauma and tragedy himself that continued to choose kindness and to choose love and to choose faith and to invest in the people around him. 

"As we began working on telling his story, people from all over the world came out of the woodwork to tell us stories of what Jimmy meant to them, of little acts of kindness, where he paid for the roof of a struggling veteran, or he came to the hospital for the birth of a friend. His kindness and his humour and his humility made a difference in everyone he met.”

• Jimmy will be released in US cinemas on November 6, with an Irish release date to be announced soon.