drama film

Summer of Rockets (2019)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Close up of actress from Summer of Rockets pictured inside a building, looking deep in thought off camera, wearing a blue coat and green scarf.

Summer of Rockets ©BBC Pictures

Writer: Stephen Poliakoff
Director: Stephen Poliakoff
Starring: Toby Woolf, Suanne Braun, Keeley Hawes, Linus Roache, Timothy Spall, Toby Stephens
Production Company: Little Island Productions
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyards, Chatham

Set in London during the height of the Cold War, Summer of Rockets (2019) is a drama based on true events amid with growing tensions across Europe. At the time, the UK tested its first hydrogen bomb, the Soviets launched their first ballistic missile, and the space race between America and the Soviet Union had begun.

Written and directed by multi-award winning writer Stephen Poliakoff (Dancing on the Edge, Close to the Enemy), the series stars Toby Woolf (The Last Post), Suanne Braun (No Signal, Starhyke), Keeley Hawes (Line of Duty, Bodyguard) Linus Roache (Non-Stop, Vikings), Timothy Spall (Finding Your Feet, Hatton Gardens), Toby Stephens (And Then There Were None, Lost in Space).

The streets outside the Ropery in The Historic Dockyard Chatham were used to film the 1950s civil defence exercise in the series and the upper floors of the Ropery itself featured as civil defence training rooms.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham, with its Victorian and Georgian architecture continues to be a popular filming location. Previous productions which featured this location have been The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015), Our World War (2014) and Foyle’s War – A War of Nerves (2004).

Summer of Rockets can be seen on BBC Two on Wednesday 22nd May 2019 at 9pm. After this, episodes will then be shown every Wednesday for the next six weeks.

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

The Escape (2018)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Gemma Arterton staring at the camera with a plain brown background behind her,

Gemma Arterton in the escape (2017) © Improvised Films LTD

 

Writer: Dominic Savage

Director: Dominic Savage

Starring: Gemma Arterton, Dominic Cooper

Production Company: Shoebox Films, Lorton Entertainment

Kent Locations Used: Dartford, Gravesham

The film The Escape follows the story of a young woman (Gemma Arterton) at a crossroads in her life, as she struggles to chase her dreams alongside her responsibilities as a mother and a wife. She decides on a change and heads off to Paris to find herself.

Director, writer, Dominic Savage, has previously worked on BBC films Born Equal and Freefall. Gemma Arterton has starred in high-profile films such as Hansel & Gretel: Witch-Hunters and Clash of the Titans. Dominic Cooper has been credited in Captain America: The First Avenger and Mamma Mia! .

Scenes were filmed in and around the Gravesend area, including Northfleet Nursery which was used as Tara’s son’s day centre. Imperial Business Park also features, as Tara’s local place for shopping.

Production also filmed in and around Dartford, at a property in Caspian Way which features as the family’s home. Crayland Primary School features as Tara’s daughter’s school and the park off of Broomfield Road is visited by the whole family at the weekend.  As well as filming at a nearby kids’ playground in Swanscombe, and Ebbsfleet International Station, where Tara (Gemma Arterton) watches the trains on one occasion and later leaves for Paris.

The Escape was released in the UK on Friday 3rd August 2018.

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

The Mercy (2018)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz in The Mercy Official Poster close up of faces looking into distance. The Mercy written in white

Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz in The Mercy (2018) ©Studio Canal

Writer: Scott Z. Burns

Director: James Marsh

Starring: Colin Firth, Rachel Weisz, David Thewlis, Mark Gatiss

Production Company: Blueprint Pictures

Kent Locations Used: Chatham Dockyard and Bewl Water

Colin Firth in The Mercy standing on boat with mast behind. He wears a pale blue shirt and cream trousers.

Colin Firth in The Mercy (2018 ) ©Studio Canal

The film tells the true story of Donald Crowhurst (Colin Firth), a yachtsman who went missing during his attempt to win the 1968 Golden Globe Race when he decided to turn his attempt into a disastrous attempt of travelling the world alone by sea.

Directed by James Marsh (The Theory of Everything, Shadow Dancer) and written by Scott Z. Burns (Contagion, The Bourne Ultimatum). The film stars Colin Firth (Kingsman: The Secret Service, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy),  Rachel Weisz (The Mummy, Oz the Great and Powerful), David Thewlis (Wonder Woman, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,) and Mark Gatiss (The League of Gentlemen, Sherlock).

Rachel Weisz in The Mercy 2018. Rachel and 3 children stand against a harbour wall looking out to see.

Rachel Weisz in The Mercy 2018 ©Studio Canal

 

 

Some scenes were filmed at The Historic Dockyard Chatham, where the HMS Gannet was used as the port where the wives of the competition sailors posed for the press. As well as filming at Bewl Water reservoir in Kent, which features as the Teignmouth inlet where Donald Crowhurst (Colin Firth) sails locally alone and with his family. The Historic Dockyard with its Victorian and Georgian architecture has featured in films such as Victoria and Abdul (2017) and Guy Ritchies’ Mr Holmes (2015). Bewl Water is the largest body of inland water in the South East and situated within the High Weald, an area of outstanding natural beauty.

 

 

The Mercy will be in theatres in the UK from the 9th February 2018.

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

 

Bhikari (2017)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Bhikari movie poster- Image of man lying on floor next to drawing of elephant god

Bhikari

Writer: Guru Thakur

Director: Ganesh Acharya

Starring: Swwapnil Joshi, Rucha Inamdar

Kent Locations Used:  Kingsgate Bay, Botany Bay

Bhikari follows the story of a rich young man whom having finished his higher education in London, returns to India where his mother hands over the family business to him. However, unfortunate events lead Samrat to face difficult choices in order to save his mother’s life.

The film is was written by Guru Thakur, a popular lyricist and screen-writer, and directed by Ganesh Acharya (Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, PK), and stars Swwapnil Joshi (Mumbai Pune Mumbai, Duniyadari) and Rucha Inamdar (Children of War, Under the Same Sun)

Both Kingsgate Bay and Botany Bay in Thanet were used as locations as backdrops for dance sequences for the feature.

Botany Bay is has stunning white cliffs and chalk stacks and is great for rock pooling. Over the years, Botany Bay has also featured in productions such as Thaandavam (2012), Humans: Series 2 (2016) and True Love (2012).

Kingsgate Bay is known for its beautiful sandy beach and sea caves. Kingsgate Bay has featured in films and television series such as Mr Selfridge Series 4 (2016) and Whistle and I’ll Come to You (2010).

Bhikari will be released on Amazon Prime for viewing on demand in January 2018.

 

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