Sulphur and White (2020)

Posted on February 27, 2020 by Kent Film Office

Mark Stanley (David Tait) wearing a brown jacket and Emily Beecham (Vanessa Tait) wearing a blue floral dress, looking at each other with greenery and sky behind them.

Mark Stanley (David Tait) and Emily Beecham (Vanessa Tait) in Sulphur and White (2020) Copyright: IMDb Photo: Nick Wall

Screenwriter: Susie Farrell
Director: Julian Jarrold
Starring: Mark Stanley, Emily Beecham, Anna Friel, Dougray Scott, Aftab Shivdasani
Production Companies: AMG International, EMU Films
Kent Locations Used: Thanet (Joss Bay, Kingsgate Bay, Botany Bay)

Feature film Sulphur and White is inspired by the true story of David Tait (played by Mark Stanley), a city trader and mountaineer, who tries to forget his traumatic childhood as he climbs the corporate ladder in the City Of London. When he meets Vanessa (Emily Beecham), David’s life begins to change.

Sulphur and White is directed by the award winning Julian Jarrold (Kinky Boots, Becoming Jane) and the screenplay was written by Susie Farrell (Dirty God). It stars Mark Stanley (Game of Thrones, Run) as David Tait and Emily Beechman (Daphne, Hail, Caesar!) as Vanessa. Co-stars also include Anna Friel (Marcella, Deep Water), Dougray Scott (EverAfter, Hitman) and Aftab Shivdasani (Mast, Kasoor).

Filming took place in Thanet, a district of Kent containing resort towns Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs with beautiful beaches.

The production visited Joss bay in Broadstairs, a proclaimed surfer’s paradise, boasting a 200 metre-long stretch of sandy beach. Kingsgate Bay and Botany Bay afford incredible views of white cliffs and highly photographed white chalk stacks.

These coastal locations have attracted various film and TV productions over the years from French coming-of-age film À nous les petites Anglaises (1976), Mr Selfridge Series 4 (2016), Bhikari (2017) to most recently Dracula (2020).

Sulphur and White will be released in UK cinemas on Friday 6^th March 2020.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Dracula (2020)

Posted on December 20, 2019 by Kent Film Office

CLAES BANG as Dracula wearing a cape and looking into the camera in candle light . An old stone staircase can be seen behind him.

Dracula (CLAES BANG) © BBC/Hartswood Photographer: Robert Viglasky

Writer: Mark Gatis, Steven Moffat, Bram Stoker

Director: Paul McGuigan, Damon Thomas, Jonny Campbell

Starring: Claes Bang, Jonathan Aris, Mark Gatiss, Dolly Wells…

Production Company: Hartswood Films, BBC, Netflix

Kent Locations Used: Joss Bay, Broadstairs

From the makers of Sherlock, Dracula is a brand new drama based on Bram Stoker’s novel, Set in Transylvania in 1897, this time the blood-sucking count will be plotting against Victorian London.

The cast of the 3 feature length episodes is led by Claes Bang starring as Dracula (The Square, The Girl in the Spiders Web), and is supported by Jonathan Aris (Sherlock, The end of the f*cking world), Mark Gatiss (The Favourite, Sherlock) and Dolly Wells (Bridget Jones’s Diary, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies).

Production filmed a sunrise sequence at Joss Bay, Broadstairs which was not used in the final edit.

Joss Bay is a popular sandy beach sheltered by steep chalk cliffs and backing onto the North Foreland Golf Course. Several film productions have visited the location including Coast and Country (2016).

The beach is reputedly named after an eighteenth-century smuggler Joss Snelling. Joss Bay is Kent’s best-known surfing beach and is home to the longest established surf school on this coast. The site offers an ideal set for many film productions.

The Dracula mini-series will air on BBC One on three consecutive days starting at 9pm on 1st January 2020.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Fantasy Homes by the Sea – Series 7 (2018)

Posted on November 15, 2018 by Kent Film Office

Image of presenter Michelle Ackerley in an orange top leaning against colourful sheds

Presenter Michelle Ackerley ©UKTV Really

Writer: Jayne Hibbitt-Smith

Starring: Michelle Ackerley

Production company: Hat Trick

Kent locations used: Broadstairs, Margate, Ramsgate, Kingsdown, Dungeness

The series originally ran for six seasons between 2007 and 2013 on UKTV’s Style channel.

Michelle Ackerley presents the reboot of Fantasy Homes by the Sea. Each 60-minute episode follows Michelle as she takes buyers around coastal locations in the UK in the quest to find their dream home by the sea.

Production filmed in Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate , Kent sea-side towns in Thanet that recently featured in shows such as Britain’s Favourite Walks: Top 100 (2018) and Landscape Artist of the Year (2018).

Further filming took place at Kingsdown near Deal. The town is situated on the South Coast of Kent and has a longstanding naval history as one of the major Cinque Ports and many period features remain. Productions such as Coast v Country (2017) and Antiques Roadshow (2015) also chose this as a prime film location.

Production also visited Dungeness. Dungeness is a unique location which includes ramshackle huts as well as two lighthouses, a historic railway station, two pubs and artist galleries along with a nuclear power station. Previous projects that have filmed there include Walks With My Dog (2017) and Great British Railway Journeys – Series 7 (2016).

Fantasy Homes by the Sea airs on 19^th November 2018 on UKTV’s Really Channel (Freeview Channel 17, Sky Channel 142, and Virgin Media Channel 129) at 8pm. The Thanet episodes will air on 22^nd November and 6^th December, and the Kingsdown episode will air on 11^th December 2018 on Really at 8pm.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Juliet, Naked (2018)

Posted on November 1, 2018 by Kent Film Office

Two actors greeting one another on the beach, actress Rose Byrne is smiling at them in the middle carrying a blanket.

Juliet, Naked 2018 ©IMDb

Writer: Evgenia Peretz, Jim Taylor and Tamara Jenkins

Director: Jesse Peretz

Starring: Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke, Jimmy O. Yang

Production Company: Apatow Productions, Bona Fide Productions, Ingenious Media

Kent Locations Used: Home Farm near Faversham, Ramsgate, and Broadstairs

Juliet Naked, starring Ethan Hawke, Rose Byrne and Chris O’Dowd, is a warm, smart and funny adaptation of the Nick Hornby novel of the same name and features an obsessive rock fan, his long-standing girlfriend and the mysterious rocker he idolises.

Starring Rose Byrne (Bad Neighbours 1 & 2, Peter Rabbit) as Annie, Ethan Hawke (Training day, Before Sunrise) as rock star Tucker Crowe and Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids, Moone Boy) as Duncan

Home Farm in Swale was previously used in André Øvredals ‘The Autopsy of Jane Doe’ (2017). Filming for Juliet Naked at the American-style Home Farm took place in 2015 where the house and grounds were used.

Filming also took place in Ramsgate, which is a popular filming area and has been used in several films and TV series such as Hard Sun (2018) and The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016). Further scenes were also filmed on Viking Bay beach in Broadstairs, which recently featured in feature films Hurricane (2018) and The Lady in The Van (2015).

Juliet, Naked is due to be released in the UK in cinemas on 2^nd November 2018.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Landscape Artist of the Year (2018)

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Kent Film Office

Landscape Artist of the Year 2018 ©Sky Arts

Starring: Joan Bakewell, Stephen Mangan

Production Company: Storyvault Films

Kent Locations Used: Viking Bay, Thanet

This competition based in England allows artist to showcase their talent over many rounds to contend for a grand prize. Landscape Artist of the Year is presented by Joan Bakewell (Home at four-thirty, Meeting Point) and Frank Skinner (Shane, A little bit of Elvis). Kate Bryan (Click) is one of the judges.

The third and fourth heats were filmed on the beach at Broadstairs. Viking Bay is a beautiful beach, surrounded by the town’s Victorian architecture. The series was filmed in early summer 2018 in this iconic Kent seaside town. Plenty of scenery to offer the viewers as well as the artists.

The Thanet area boasts many beaches and Viking Bay has starred in other Television series such as Coasts vs Country (2016), The Great British Bake Off (2014), and The Calling (2009).

Landscape Artist of the Year 2018 is due to air on Sky Arts on Tuesday 16^th October 2018.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Hurricane (2018)

Posted on September 7, 2018 by Kent Film Office

Official Hurricane Movie Poster- Crashed plane at the bottom of the poster, three main characters at the centre of the poster in period clothing, planes and london skyline in background. Hurricane reads in the centre

Official Hurricane Movie Poster ©IMDb

Writers: Robert Ryan and Alastair Galbraith

Director: David Blair

Starring: Iwan Rheon, Milo Gibson, Stefanie Martini

Production Company: Head Gear Films

Kent Locations Used: Victoria Gardens & Stone Bay, Thanet

Hurricane is the story of Squadron 303, a group of courageous Polish soldiers who fought with British troops in the skies to defend England in WWII. The story is told through the eyes of Polish flying ace Jan Zumbach (Iwan Rheon), whose hope it is, that Britain can defeat the Nazis and free his own country.

Starring Iwan Rheon (Game of Thrones, Our Girl) as Jan Zumbach, Milo Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge, Gangster Land) as John Kent and Stefanie Martini (Prime Suspect, Endeavour) as Phyllis Lambert.

Victoria Gardens was used in one of the scenes scene with a bus where Josef Frantisek (Krystof Hádek) meets Jan Zumbach (Iwan Rheon) and Ziggy (Matt Malecki). Victoria Gardens, Broadstairs is situated in Thanet which is home to some of the most beautiful Georgian, Victorian and Regency buildings. Broadstairs has a is a sandy beach with sea-carved chalk cliffs with the scenery being used in the film when a character parachutes onto the beach from a war plane.

There was also a beach scene at Stone Bay, Broadstairs, where Jan Zumbach (Iwan Rheon) is seen walking off a beach (this follows him stealing a plane in France to fly to England).

Broadstairs is situated in Thanet which is home to many beautiful Georgian, Victorian and Regency buildings. The area is a popular location for a variety of films and TV series including Liar (2017), The Lady in the Van (2015), The Calling (2009, Mr Selfridge Series 4 (2016).

The film is due to be released in the UK on 7^th September 2018.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Coast Vs Country (2016)

Posted on November 12, 2016 by Kent Film Office

Presenters Kerr Drummond and Sara Damergi standing in the countryside with the sea in the background

Presenters Kerr Drummond and Sara Damergi © Channel 4

Production Company: Freeform Productions

Kent Locations Used: Broadstairs & Viking Bay, Joss Bay, Kingsgate Bay, Margate, Ramsgate, Canterbury, Herne Bay

Coast Vs Country is Channel 4’s brand new property series from the creators of A Place in the Sun, helping house hunters find their dream property either by the sea or in the countryside.

The series is presented by interior designer, Kerr Drummond and buying expert and current face of A Place in the Sun, Sara Damergi.

Kent features throughout the series including Thanet locations Broadstairs & Viking Bay, Joss Bay, Kingsgate Bay, Margate, Ramsgate, as well as Canterbury and Herne Bay.

The Thanet area boasts the beautiful coastal towns of Broadstairs, Ramsgate and Margate which has sandy bays, parks and open spaces, galleries and amusements. Thanet has been used for filming by productions such as The Lady in the Van (2015) and Eastenders (2015).

Herne Bay is a seaside town which has a pier and shingle beach and is set just outside of the historic City of Canterbury. Previous productions which have filmed in the area include Rustom (2016), Terry and Mason’s Great Food Trip (2015) and Got To Dance (2012).

The Kent episodes will air on Channel 4 on:

Tuesday 22^nd November 2016 – 16:00
Monday 28^th November 2016 – 15:00
Tuesday 13^th December 2016 – 15:00

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

The Lady in the Van (2015)

Posted on October 22, 2015 by Kent Film Office

The Lady In The Van - Dame Maggie Smith as Miss Shepherd being pushed in a wheelchair by Alex Jennings as Alan Bennett in

The Lady In The Van – Dame Maggie Smith as Miss Shepherd and Alex Jennings as Alan Bennett © Sony

Writer: Alan Bennett

Director: Nicholas Hytner

Starring: Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings, Dominic Cooper, James Corden, Jim Broadbent, Frances de la Tour

Production company: BBC Films, TriStar Productions

Kent Locations: Broadstairs – High Street, Esplanade, Harbour Street, Viking Bay Beach, Morellis Gelato, Buckmaster House

The Lady in the Van is British film based on the true story about a homeless woman, Miss Shepherd (Maggie Smith), who temporarily parked her old yellow van on the driveway of writer Alan Bennett (Alex Jennings) in the 1970’s. As fifteen years went by, the pair developed an endearing but sometimes turbulent relationship, which translates into a funny, poignant and life-affirming story.

Adapted by Alan Bennett (The History Boys, A Private Function, Prick Up Your Ears) from his memoir of the same name, the film is directed by Nicholas Hytner (The Crucible, The Object of My Affection, Center Stage).

Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Gosford Park) stars as Miss Shepherd with Alex Jennings (The Queen, Babel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason) playing Alan Bennett.

Also starring is Dominic Cooper (Mamma Mia!, Need for Speed, Captain America: The First Avenger), James Corden (Begin Again, Into the Woods, The History Boys), Jim Broadbent (Moulin Rouge!, Cloud Atlas, Gangs of New York) and Frances de la Tour (Hugo, The Book of Eli, Alice in Wonderland).

In November 2014, The Lady in the Van production team came to Kent to film in Broadstairs including the High Street, Esplanade, Harbour Street, Viking Bay Beach and http://www.morellisgelato.com/ for the scenes where Miss Shepherd (Maggie Smith) visits the coast. Buckmaster House in Broadstairs also doubled as Weston-Super-Mare for the scenes where Alan Bennett visits his mother.

Broadstairs is a traditional British seaside town offering sandy beaches with rides, beach huts, surfing, a harbour and cliff-top promenade. The High Street has historic red-brick buildings occupied by cafes, restaurants, bars and shops. Broadstairs has also been used as a film location in Eastenders (2015), Edge of Heaven (2014) and Hancock and Joan (2008).

Don’t miss The Lady in the Van which is released in cinemas on Friday 13^th November 2015.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Eastenders (2015)

Posted on August 26, 2015 by Kent Film Office

Tina Carter (LUISA BRADSHAW WHITE), Mick Carter (DANNY DYER) and Shirley Carter (LINDA HENRY) stood holding hands on a sandy beach with beach huts behind

Starring: Danny Dyer, Linda Henry, Luisa Bradshaw-White, Annette Badland

Production Company: BBC

Kent Locations Used: Broadstairs – Morellis Gelato, Victoria Gardens and Stone Bay, Ramsgate Harbour

Popular BBC One soap Eastenders is set in East London and chronicles the lives of the residents of Albert Square. In the upcoming episodes, the Carter family takes a trip to the Kent coast to scatter Stan Carter’s ashes.

In April this year, helm of the Carter family, Stan, died after a battle with terminal prostate cancer. When the family realise Stan’s ashes have gone missing, Tina (Luisa Bradshaw-White), Shirley (Linda Henry) and Mick (Danny Dyer) head to Ramsgate, where they suspect Aunt Babe (Annette Badland) has taken them.

The show has been running since 1985 and now airs four times a week with an average of more than 8 million viewers per episode.

In June 2015, the Eastenders production filmed for 3 days in Broadstairs –Morellis Gelato, Victoria Gardens, and Stone Bay as well as Ramsgate Harbour.

Shirley Carter (LINDA HENRY), Mick Carter DANNY DYER, Tina Carter (LUISA BRADSHAW WHITE) © BBC/Kieron McCarron	Behind the scenes in Ramsgate Mick Carter (DANNY DYER) © BBC/Kieron McCarron
Shirley Carter (LINDA HENRY), Tina Carter (LUISA BRADSHAW WHITE), Mick Carter (DANNY DYER), Aunt Babe (ANNETTE BADLAND) in Morelli’s © BBC/Kieron McCarron	Shirley Carter (LINDA HENRY), Mick Carter DANNY DYER, Tina Carter (LUISA BRADSHAW WHITE) at Ramsgate Harbour © BBC/Kieron McCarron

The Thanet area has some great locations including its beautiful and varied coastline, historic towns of Margate, Broadstairs and Ramgate with its Royal Marina. It and has welcomed a variety of productions including Edge of Heaven (2013), True Love (2012) and The Calling (2009).

The Kent episodes of Eastenders will be shown on BBC One at 19:30 on Thursday 3rd and 20:00 on Friday 4th September 2015.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites (2015)

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Kent Film Office

Mary Berry standing in front of a kitchen with her elbow leant against the counter top

Starring: Mary Berry

Production Company: Shine

Kent Locations: Kingsgate Bay, Broadstairs

Mary Berry hits the road and revisits her favourite places in the UK, using them as inspiration for her food. As part of a six part series, the first episode will feature Kent.

Using simple and easy to follow recipes, Mary Berry’s dishes are extremely user friendly. The series shows Mary Berry travelling from the seaside to the countryside, to farmers’ markets and allotments; all the while suggesting that not a lot of money is needed to make a wholesome meal for the family.

Growing up in WWII Britain, Mary Berry explains that her mother made all their family meals from scratch. Mary demonstrates her joy of getting stuck in as she forages for wild mushrooms and learns to fly fish.

The first episode shows Mary Berry exploring the Kent Coast for seafood inspired meals and desserts. In the episode, Mary even visits Morellis Gelato in Broadstairs, which she admits has hardly changed at all since she first visited.

Broadstairs provides sandy beaches and relaxing cliff tops walks and has been a setting for many films, such as Edge of Heaven (2014 – some parts of Broadstairs were used to double as places in Margate), Only Fools and Horses: The Jolly Boys’ Outing (1989 – Broadstairs Police Station, which is now a pub on Gladstone Road) and many more.

Viewers can also see Broadstairs in last year’s The Great British Bake Off, as the team visited Viking Bay beach.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Kent's Premier Film Commission