family

After Love (2021)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Actress Joanna Scanlan as Mary Hussain in a scene from the film. Joanna wears a patterned top and black headscarf and is looking into the distance. Behind her is grass.

Joanna Scanlan in After Love (2021) © IMDb

Director: Aleem Khan
Starring: Joanna Scanlan, Nasser Memarzia, Nathalie Richard
Production Company: The Bureau
Kent Locations Used: The White Cliffs of Dover, Kingsdown, Port of Dover

After Love (2021) is a BFI funded film directed by Aleem Khan (Three Brothers, Diana). It follows Mary Hussain played by Joanna Scanlan (The Larkins (2021-2022), Dracula (2020)) in the wake of her husband Ahmed’s (Nasser Memarzia, Knightfall, The Honourable Woman (2014)) unexpected death. She leaves her hometown of Dover behind to cross the channel to Calais where she hopes to uncover secrets in her husband’s past.

The film also stars Nathalie Richard (Never Let Me Go, Caché) and focuses on the beauty of cultural differences and the effects of physical distance on people’s relationships.

Production visited The White Cliffs of Dover whilst filming, as well as a private residence in Kingsdown, near Dover which doubles as Mary’s home. One scene was filmed showing Mary boarding a ferry at the Port of Dover, as she travels to the Continent.

The White Cliffs of Dover are an iconic landmark, affording spectacular views across the Channel. Dover is a popular film location which also boasts the historic Dover Castle. The White Cliffs of Dover have previously featured in Sherlock Holmes – A Game of Shadows (2011), On A Clear Day (2005) and Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965).

As the busiest passenger port in Europe, The Port of Dover is a very sought-after filming location. Previous productions to film at the Port include Christopher Robin (2018) and Will (2011).

After Love was screened as part of the BFI London Film Festival 2020 in October 2020.

After Love will be released in UK cinemas on Friday 4th June 2021.

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

Long Lost Family (2020)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Close up of presenter Davina McCall looking into the camera wearing a black jumper

Lost Lost Family Born Without Trace- Davina McCall- © ITV

Starring: Davina McCall, Nicky Campbell
Production Company: ITV Studios
Kent Locations Used: Gravesend, Maidstone, Dartford

Long Lost Family (2011-) returns for another series. The team combine detective work alongside the latest DNA technology to help four contributors uncover their real identities and work out where they came from.

In these two special episodes we see the incredible stories of a man who was left in a car on the outskirts of Belfast, a woman left in a telephone box in Dundalk, another woman found in a public toilet in Warminster and lastly, a man found outside a railway tavern in Greenhithe.

The show is presented by Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell, who continue to work together to bring solace to many families across the UK.

Production visited a contributor’s house in Gravesend, along with various streets in Maidstone and Dartford.

Gravesend is a town on the south bank of the Thames. The Towns Pier is the oldest remaining cast-iron pier in the world, with an unspoilt promenade, high street and two shopping centres. Top Boy Series 3 (2019) and Great British Railway Journeys – Series 10 (2019) have both filmed here in the past.

The town of Maidstone has many shops, restaurants, bars, churches and a museum. The River Medway runs though the town centre, linking it with other towns such as Rochester and Chatham. Productions to have filmed in Maidstone include Phil Spencer’s Stately Homes – Series 3 (2020) and The Split Series 2 (2020).

Dartford is a historic market town with a rich industrial heritage and boasts one of the largest shopping centres in Europe. Recent productions to film here include Gangs of London (2020) and The Corrupted (2019).

Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace will air on Monday 1st June and Tuesday 2nd June at 9pm on ITV.

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

Long Lost Family Special: Born Without Trace (2019)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Presenters Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell pictured standing together smiling at the camera in front of an historic wall. Davina is wearing a denim jacket and nicky has a grey suit on.

Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell Presenting Long Lost Family Special: Born Without Trace ©ITV

Starring: Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell
Production Company: ITV Studios
Kent Locations Used: Maidstone

In this special episode of the popular series, we see the real-life stories of three foundlings. There is the man who, as a newborn, was abandoned in a hospital car park, the five-day old baby left in a cardboard box in Manchester and the woman abandoned on a doorstep in Scotland. All three are desperately searching to identify their biological parents and find the answer as to why they were abandoned.

During production, the crew visited a family home in the county town of Maidstone, Allington Lock and The Museum of Kent Life.

The show is presented by Davina McCall (Long Lost Family – Born Without a Trace) and Nicky Campbell (The Big Questions), who continue to work together to bring solace to many families across the UK.

The Borough of Maidstone has been a popular site for filming, productions include Great British Railway Journeys Series 11 (2020).

The Long Lost Family Special: Born Without will air on Monday 25th February 2019 at 9pm on ITV.

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

Long Lost Family: What Happened Next – Series 8 (2018)

Posted on by Kent Film Office

 

 

Close up of presenters Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell smiling at the camera. Nicky wearing a blue suit and red jumper, Davina wearing a red jacket and shirt.

Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell ©DailyPost

 

 

Director: Rachel Ozers

Starring: Davinia McCall and Nicky Campbell.

Production Company: Wall to Wall Media Ltd (ITV)

Kent Locations Used: Ramsgate, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells

Season 8 visits family members reunited on previous Long Lost Family series to see what happened after the initial reunion.

There will be three episodes catching up with Cathie Cutler Evans, John Ayton, and Maureen Charlton (episode 1); Marion Williams and James McDonnell, Ray Jones, and Laura Aker (episode 2); Deborah Ozturk, Mary Davies, and Vicki Haskell (episode 3).

Presented by Davinia McCall and Nicky Campbell the series visited Ramsgate for an update as well as recording presenter links with Davina McCall in and around Tonbridge and in Royal Tunbridge Wells throughout the series.

Ramsgate is a thriving seaside town with beautiful Georgian terraced housing, Marina, Port and Promenade. Often doubling for London streets. It has previously featured in TV productions such as The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016) and Hancock and Joan (2008).

Tonbridge is a riverside town with picturesque castle, churches and historic buildings. It was also featured in Long Lost Family Series 7 (2017) and other TV productions, including BBC’s Harry Potter: A History of Magic (2017) and Secret Britain (2016).

Royal Tunbridge Wells is a historic spa town that is renowned for the historic houses and gardens and has been a place of interest for over 400 years. It is popular in TV productions including Long Lost Family Series 7 (2017), The Royals (2016-2018) and Hunted Series 2 (2016).

The new season is released on 11th June 2018 at 9pm on ITV, the following episodes will broadcast on 18th and 25th June. 

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

Long Lost Family Series 6 (2016)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Long Lost Family presenters Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell standing next to each other in front of a white pillar

Long Lost Family presenters Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell © ITV

Kent Locations Used: Folkestone

Long Lost Family is an award winning British television series that started on ITV in 2011. The programme, presented by Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell, aims to reunite close relatives after years of separation. The new series explores new territory and tackles some of the most difficult social history of family separation through compelling and touching personal stories.

Following stories in and around the UK, the show inevitably came to Kent, particularly in Folkestone.

Episode four of the new series features 70-year-old widow Susan Webb who fell pregnant as a teenager and decided to have the baby adopted. With the help of specialist adoption intermediaries, Long Lost Family track down Susan’s daughter to find she is living in Folkestone and the duo are reunited for the first time in 48 years.

Folkestone is a seaside town with an elegant clifftop promenade, a coastal park, fishing harbour and Victorian cliff-top lifts. It has featured in productions The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016), Is Anybody There? (2009) and The Darling Buds of May (1991 – 1993).

Long Lost Family featuring Folkestone will air on Wednesday 3rd August 2016 at 21:00 on ITV.

 

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

Incendiary (2008)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Ewan McGregor getting out of a black car with people in a smokey background behind him

Ewan McGregor in Incendiary © Optimum Releasing

Writer/Director: Sharon Maguire

Stars: Ewan McGregor, Michelle Williams, Matthew Macfadyen, Sidney Johnston

Production Company: Aramid Entertainment Fund ,Archer Street Productions ,Capitol Films ,Film4 ,Incendiary ,Sneak Preview Films,UK Film Council, Wild Bear Films

Kent Filming Locations: Metropolitan Police Training Ground, Gravesend

Incendiary is the heartbreaking story of a young wife and mother whose family falls victim to a terrorist attack when a bomb explodes during a football match. Watching the horrific events unfold before her eyes on TV, her feelings of are intensified by guilt, because at the time of the blast she was with another man. Anguished, she rejects her lover and seeks comfort from the officer investigating the incident.

Adapted from Chris Cleave’s controversial novel, Incendiary caused furore at the time of its release: appearing in bookshops only a week after the 7/7 attacks in London, the story seemed chillingly close to reality, causing major retailers to pull their marketing campaigns for the novel.

Michelle Williams and Sidney Johnson running on the beach

Michelle Williams and Sidney Johnson © Optimum Releasing

The film visited the Metropolitan Police training facilities near Gravesend to shoot the scenes under the football stadium, after the bomb has exploded.

Incendiary was released in cinemas in October 2008 and is now available on DVD.

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

Children of Men (2006)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Clive Owen and Julianne Moore stood facing each other having a conversation in the Slip roof at Chatham Dockyards

Clive Owen and Julianne Moore in the Slip roof at Chatham Dockyards © Jaap Buitendijk ©2006 Universal Studios. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Director: Alfonso Cuaron

Writer: Alfonso Cuaron, Timothy J Sexton, David Arata, Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby

Starring: Clive Owen, Michael Caine, Julianne Moore, Pam Ferris, Clare- Hope Ashitey

Production Company: Universal Pictures, Strike Entertainment,Hit & Run Productions, Ingenious Film Partners 2, Toho-Towa

Kent Filming Locations: The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Adapted from P.D James’ novel of the same title, Children of Men is set in 2027, eighteen years after global human infertility has begun. The youngest citizen of the world has died at the age of 18 and in a world without children, or the possibility of children, there is no hope. Miraculously a young woman named Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey) falls pregnant against all expectation and a dormant activist, Theo (Clive Owen) is forced to decide whether he will fight for humanity’s survival by protecting mother and child or leave her to fend for herself.

Directed and written by Alfonso Cuarón (Great Expectations, Gravity) and starring Clive Owen (Sin City, The Knick) Julianne Moore (The Kids Are All Right, Still Alice), Michael Caine (The Dark Knight, Inception), Pam Ferris (Call The Midwife, Luther) and Clare- Hope Ashitey (Exodus, All Is by My Side).

The production filmed at Slip 3 at The Historic Dockyard Chatham is the setting for the rebel safe house where Julian first enlists Theo’s help to protect Kee, a young, Fijian woman who needs to leave the country. Will she make it out in time to give birth to the first child born in 19 years?

The Historic Dockyard Chatham is one of Kent’s most popular filming destinations previously hosting productions such as Call the Midwife (2012-2013), Les Miserables (2013) and Sherlock Holmes (2009).

Children of Men was released in cinemas in September 2006 and is now available to buy on DVD.

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

On a Clear Day (2005)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Frank (Peter Mullan) looking out at the sea with mountains in the background

On A Clear Day © Icon Film Distribution

Director: Gaby Dellal

Writer: Alex Rose

Starring: Peter Mullan, Brenda Blethyn, Jamie Sives, Billy Boyd, Sean McGinley, Ron Cook, Jodhi May, Benedict Wong

Production Company: Baker Street, Forthcoming Productions, Glasgow Film Finance, InFilm Productions, Isle of Man Film, Scottish Screen, Take Film Partnerships 

Kent Locations Used: The White Cliffs of Dover, the Port of Dover                                

On a Clear Day is the story of a middle-aged Glasgow shipbuilder, Frank (Peter Mullan –Trainspotting, Tyrannosaur) who is suddenly made redundant and starts to feel lost. When his friend jokes that he could swim the Channel on a clear day, Frank decides to take the challenge on, unbeknown to his family. Will Frank be successful and will he be able to repair his strained relationships? 

Alongside Peter Mullan stars Brenda Blethyn (Pride and Prejudice, Atonement), Jamie Sives (Clash of the Titans, Get Him to the Greek), Billy Boyd (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy The, Forger), Sean McGinley (Braveheart, Love/Hate), Ron Cook (Chocolat, Hot Fuzz), Jodhi May (Defiance, Ginger and Rosa) and Benedict Wong (Prometheus, Kick Ass 2).

Frank (Peter Mullan) at the foot of the White Cliffs of Dover with his friends preparing for the swim

On A Clear Day © Icon Film Distribution

The production visited Kent to shoot at the foot of the White Cliffs of Dover where Frank (Peter Mullan) starts his swim of the English Channel and the famous cliffs can also be seen in the background throughout his challenge.

The Port of Dover was used for the scenes where Frank’s family and friends race to meet him in France at the end of his swim.

Dover is a busy town that boasts the historic Dover Castle as well as the famous White Cliffs of Dover. It is also home to Europe’s busiest passenger port, facing France across the narrowest part of the English Channel.

Productions that have previously filmed in the Dover area include Sherlock Holmes – A Game of Shadows (2011), The Other Boleyn Girl (2008) and Johnny English (2003).

On Clear Day was released in cinemas in September 2005 and is now available on DVD.

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