Fort Borstal

Welcome to Curiosity (2018)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Amrita Acharia as Zoe walks down an empty country road. She wears a red and white skirt, oversized denim jacket and black boots.

Amrita Acharia in Welcome to Curiosity (2018) © Shooting Tiger Pictures

Welcome to Curiosity (2018) follows four interconnected stories as a group of people in the small town of Curiosity find themselves linked to a notorious serial killer. It was the world’s first film to raise its entire production budget through crowdfunding.

The film was directed by Ben Pickering (Two Days in the Smoke, Election Night) and written by Darren Ripley (Two Days in the Smoke). The lead cast includes Christian Solimeno (Guilt, Hollyoaks) as Dexter, Eke Chukwu (Inside Man, How We Met) as Al, Gary Grant (Enemy Lines, The Lazarus Project) as Tim and Amrita Acharia (Game of Thrones, The Sister) as Zoe.

Various scenes were shot on the streets of Gravesend and Rochester. Fort Borstal also features, doubling as an abandoned warehouse where the criminals return after their heist and Fordy (Richard Blackwood) tries to double-cross them.

Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent on the south bank of the Thames. Gravesend’s pier is the oldest remaining cast-iron pier in the world, and the town also boasts an unspoilt promenade, high street and two shopping centres. Previous productions to have filmed here include The Escape (2018), The Interceptor (2015) and The Long Memory (1953).

Rochester City has the feel of a medieval market town, with cathedral, castle ruin and unspoilt high street by the River Medway. Built in 1895, Fort Borstal was designed to hold the high ground southwest of Rochester. Used as an anti-aircraft battery in WWII, then later a pig farm and Young Offenders Institute storage space, the site has now been sold and converted into living accommodation. Previous productions to have filmed in Rochester include Jekyll and Hyde (2015), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012) and Last Orders (2002).

Welcome to Curiosity (2018) was released on Friday 8th June 2018 and is available to purchase on Amazon Prime.

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

Hoff the Record (2015)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
David Hasselhoff singing into a microphone in a club with pink balloons behind him

David Hasselhoff as The Hoff ©UKTV

Starring: David Hasselhoff

Production Company: Me & You Productions Ltd

Kent Locations Used: Fort Borstal, Rochester

‘When you’re at the top there’s only one place you can go.’

Baywatch star, David Hasselhoff, will return to UK television screens playing a fictionalized version of himself, The Hoff, in his new six part mockumentary series titled Hoff the Record.

This semi-improvised comedy show commissioned specially by UKTV for Dave, will be based on The Hoff attempting to reignite his career, whilst being constantly challenged by his director, Josh Brooke-Webb, played by Craig Roberts (Submarine, 22 Jump Street), as they film a biopic of his life. As he lands in the UK to start a new life, The Hoff receives none of his preferential Hollywood treatment; instead, much to his dismay, he is landed with a star-struck driver and a first-time Personal Assistant. Hasselhoff’s fictionalised character has hit rock bottom. Will his luck change?

The Hoff the Record team filmed at Fort Borstal near Rochester for three days in November 2014. Kent is featured in the 5th episode where a combat scene was staged outside the old prison.

Don’t miss the Hoff the Record, which starts on Thursday 18th June 2015 at 21:00 on Dave and the Kent episode which airs on Thursday 16th July 2015 at  21:00 on Dave. 

 

 

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