The 52 minute feature-film is funded by The Co-operative Group - whose own origins trace back to the original ‘Rochdale Pioneers' - to celebrate the United Nation's International Year of Co-operatives, 2012.
The new movie - ‘The Rochdale Pioneers' - tells of 28 working men whose vision for a better social order inspired them to form the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society in 1844 - recognised as the birth of the co-operative movement.
After a year's trading (1845) membership had increased almost three-fold and the Pioneers' fame soon spread overseas - today there are one billion members of co-operatives worldwide and, in the UK alone sector turnover exceeds £33 Billion.
Mark Robinson-Field, The Co-operative's National Co-operative and Membership Manager, said:
"In 1844 the original Pioneers set out the ideals which became the basis for the principles on which co-operatives around the world still operate to this day.
"This year's activities to mark the International Year of Co-operatives will highlight the significant contribution of co-operatives to world-wide socio-economic development.
"And, with one billion members of co-operatives world-wide and the sector enjoying global attention, we believe the time is right for this inspirational story to be re-told."
Inspired by the 1944 film ‘Men of Rochdale', this re-telling is being made by The Co-operative British Youth Film Academy.
The cast includes John Henshaw - known for roles in Early Doors, Born and Bred, Looking for Eric and, Terry Pratchett's Going Postal - who plays John Holt, one of the original members of The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers.
And, stage and TV actor John McArdle - known for roles in Brookside, Merseybeat and Gallowglass - who plays Dr. Dunlop who agreed to rent his premises, an old woollen warehouse, to the Rochdale Pioneers.
Kevin Atkinson, Operations Director of The Co-operative British Youth Film Academy and producer for the new film, said:
"This is an exciting project which, through the medium of film, will bring the spirit, heart and belief of the original pioneers to a brand new audience."
The film will be distributed internationally and plans are in place for it to be screened at the co-operative world festival and expo at Manchester Central in autumn 2012.
