psychological thriller

Too Close (2021)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Connie Mortenson (played by Denise Gough) and psychiatrist Dr Emma Robertson (played by Emily Watson) stand side by side looking to camera with a dark background, the mood of the image is sinister.

Too Close (2021) © ITV images

Writer: Clara Salaman
Director: Bruce Goodison
Starring: Emily Watson, Denise Gough, Eileen Davies
Production Company: Snowed-In Productions Ltd, All3Media for ITV
Kent Locations Used: Kingsferry Bridge – Isle of Sheppey, Swale

Too Close (2021) is a psychological drama for ITV starring Emily Watson. The three-part mini‑series tells the story of a forensic psychiatrist who must assess a criminal suspect – only to fall victim to their manipulative nature.

Dedicated forensic psychiatrist, Dr Emma Robinson played by Emily Watson (The Third Day (2020), Chernobyl) is sent to assess Connie Mortensen played by Denise Gough (Juliet, Naked (2018), Guerrilla) who is on trial for a terrible crime. When Connie quickly gains insight into Emma’s deepest insecurities and starts to brutally exploit them, their sessions become a complex psychological game. Eileen Davies (Grantchester (2014), Peterloo (2018)) also stars as Julia de Cadenet.

Too Close is based on the book of the same name, written by Clara Salaman under the pseudonym Natalie Daniels, and is directed by Susan Tully (Lark Rise to Candleford, Line of Duty) for Snowed-In Productions for All3Media.

During filming, production visited Kent to film a stunt sequence on Kingsferry Bridge, a combined road and railway bridge that links the Isle of Sheppey to mainland towns Sittingbourne and Kemsley. The maximum bridge lifting height is 84 feet and when reached a claxon sound is heard to confirm the bridge is at full height. The Kingsferry Bridge is no longer as busy as it once was, traffic now able to use the New Sheppey Crossing Bridge. Previous productions to film on the bridge include Kiss Me First (2018).

Too Close is due for release on ITV on Monday 12th April at 9pm.

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

Seagull (2019)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Movie poster of Seagull showing a woman wearing a mask against a sunset beach scene

Seagull (2018) © IMDb

Writers: James Abbott, Peter Blach
Director: Peter Blach
Starring: Gabrielle Sheppard, Adam Radcliffe and Jessica Hynes
Production Company: Seagull The Movie Ltd
Kent Locations Used: Folkestone

Seagull (2019) is a British thriller about a young woman, Rose (Gabrielle Sheppard), who has been missing for eight years. She returns to her hometown having some unfinished business to take care of. The mystery of her disappearance haunt her disabled and alcoholic mother, Janet (Jessica Hynes) and partner Jeff (Adam Radcliffe), as well as eight year old Lily.

This psychological thriller is set in the Kentish town of Folkestone.

Seagull was directed and written by Peter Blach, whose co-writer, James Abbott, made his professional writing and acting debut in Seagull. Blach has directed several short films including Squash and The Preacher. The thriller stars Adam Radcliffe (The Blacklist, Right Before Your Eyes) Gabrielle Sheppard (Dawn) and Jessica Hynes (Shaun of the Dead, Spaced)

A production still showing Gabrielle Sheppard dressed in a black checkered shirt stood against a beach cliffs background holding a metal rod.

Gabrielle Sheppard in Seagull © IMDb

The film was shot entirely in and around Folkestone, a seaside town with an elegant clifftop promenade, a coastal park, fishing harbour and Victorian cliff-top lifts. The Fight (2019) also filmed at this location.

Production of Seagull was completed on Tuesday 25th September 2018 and was screened at various film festivals from January 2020.

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

Una (2017)

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Una (Rooney Mara) standing in warehouse looking forward

Una (C) WestEnd Films

Writer: David Harrower

Director: Benedict Andrews

Starring: Rooney Mara, Riz Ahmed, Ben Mendelsohn, Tobias Menzies, Indira Varma, Tara Fitzgerald

Production Company: Bron Studios, Film4 Productions, Jean Doumanian Productions, WestEnd Films

Kent Locations Used: Dungeness, Greatstone, Lydd

Looking to resolve her past, Una (Rooney Mara) confronts Ray (Ben Mendelsohn ), her former neighbour, at his work place, seeking answers. As buried secrets and forbidden desires start to surface, they begin to threaten the stability they have found in their new lives.

Una (Rooney Mara) and Ray (Ben Mendelsohn) staring at each other

Una (C) WestEnd Films

The film is based on the play “Blackbird” that was written by David Harrower. Benedict Andrews (National Theatre Live: A Streetcar Named Desire) directed and Rooney Mara (A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Social Network) takes the lead role alongside  Riz Ahmed (Jason Bourne, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), Ben Mendelsohn (The Dark Knight Rises, Bloodline) Tobias Menzies (Casino Royale, Atonement), Indira Varma (Game of Thrones, Hunted) and Tara Fitzgerald (Legend, Brassed Off).

The production chose to film in Kent in June 2015, using Dungeness, Greatstone and Lydd which feature as a remote hideaway location.

The Dungeness, Greatstone and Lydd coastal area boasts a unique and large expanse of sandy beach backed by dunes and the largest shingle desert in Europe. Ginger and Rosa (2012), The Poison Tree (2012) and Parade’s End (2012) have previously used the area for filming.

Una is released in cinemas from Friday 1st September 2017.

 

 

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

Dead and Awake (2016)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Dead and Awake film poster- three actors all staring at the camera, Dead and Awake written in orange at the bottom

Dead and Awake film poster © Dark Moon Filmworks

Writer and Director: Alexander Fodor

Stars: Jason Wing, Funda Önal, Ryan Ebling

Production Companies: Dark Moon Filmworks, Zed Resistor Company

Kent Locations Used: St Augustine’s Priory, Ashford

Dead and Awake is a dark, sinister, psychological thriller about a group of people who have kidnapped a girl with paranormal powers, only to find themselves victims of mind control.

The film was written and directed by Alexander Fodor (Hamlet) and stars Jason Wing (The Antwerp Dolls), Funda Önal (Made in Chelsea, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) and Ryan Ebling (Noah).

Dead and Awake was shot on location at St Augustine’s Priory at Ashford which is the country house featured throughout the film. The production also filmed in Essex.

St Augustine’s Priory is a 13th century priory and Edwardian country house in Ashford, surrounded by seven acres of beautiful gardens. The Ashford area has been used for filming by The Monuments Men (2014), Emma (2009) and the infamous Kentish series, The Darling Buds of May (1991 – 1993).

The film is released on Monday 12th September 2016 on Amazon for purchase.

 

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

 

Road Games (2016)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
field full of hay barrels, a yellow car is in the centre with two people running into the distance

Road Games © February Films

Writer and Director: Abner Pastoll

Stars: Andrew Simpson, Joséphine de La Baume, Barbara Crampton, Frédéric Pierrot

Production Companies: February Films, Superbe Films, Trigger Films

Kent Locations Used: St Clere Estate, Markbeech, Castle Farm, Falconhurst and Kemsing roads

Road Games is a psychological thriller set during an idyllic summer in France where drifters Jack (Andrew Simpson) and Véronique (Joséphine de La Baume) hook up and hit the road. Hitchhiking a lift from a local oddball, who takes them home to his wife, where they suddenly find themselves in a deadly game of cat and mouse..

The film was written and directed by Abner Pastoll (Me or the Dog, A Great Mistake) and stars Andrew Simpson (The Life and Adventures of Nick Nickleby, Notes on a Scandal), Joséphine de La Baume (Rush, One Day), Barbara Crampton (The Young and the Restless, We Are Still Here) and Frédéric Pierrot (Young & Beautiful, Polisse).

The Anglo-French co-production filmed in Kent for around 4 weeks in July and August 2014 using St Clere Estate, Markbeech, Castle Farm, Falconhurst and Kemsing roads, doubling as France.

 

St Clere Estate is set across 2,800 acres of the rolling Kent countryside, offering stunning views of the North Downs. The house itself was built in 1630 and has some fine architectural examples of the Caroline era. St Clere Estate has been previously featured on screen in The Mirror Crack’d (1980).

Falconhurst is a 700 acre country estate just 45 minutes to central London. The location boasts farmland, woods, private roads, farmhouses and cottages. Falconhurst has been used for filming by a variety of projects including short films and photo shoots.

Castle Farm is a farm in Sevenoaks with a timber-framed farmhouse and oast surrounded by stunning lavender fields, pasture, woodland, stream, farm shop, barns and outbuildings. The site has been used for filming by De De Pyaar De (2019)  and various photoshoots.

Road Games​ has its UK theatrical premiere on Friday 26th August and will be available on demand and DVD release from Monday 29th August 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI8guzFYSPI%20

 

 

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

 

Half Broken Things (2007)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Penelope Wilton standing on the driveway at Boughton Monchelsea Place with grass and benches behind

Penelope Wilton standing on the driveway at Boughton Monchelsea Place © ITV

Production Company: Festival Film & Television, Festival Films, ITV

Kent Locations: Boughton Monchelsea Place, Herne Bay, Teston, Teston Bridge Country Park

Part of ITV’s autumn drama schedule Half Broken Things, starring Penelope Wilton (Calendar Girls, Doctor Who, Ever Increasing Circles), is a psychological thriller set against the idyllic backdrop of the Kent Weald.

The drama is an adaptation of the award winning novel of the same name by Morag Joss. Penelope Wilton plays Jean, a sixty-something house sitter, who is looking after Walden Manor. The house is full of mysteries and locked doors. When Jean isinformed that this will be her last job, she decides to defy all the rules and live the life she has always wanted.
Soon she is joined by Michael (Daniel Mays), a thief, and Steph (Sinnead Matthews), a pregnant girl on the run from her abusive boyfriend.

Over a blissful summer, these three live in an idyll that is soon to shattered when their past begins to catch up with them and events take a dangerous and sinister turn.

 

Filming with views over the Weald, swimming pool in the left hand corner

Filming with views over the Weald © ITV

  

Boughton Monchelsea Place exterior and garden

Boughton Monchelsea Place © Kent Film Office

 The programme was shot on location throughout Kent, with the main location being Boughton Monchelsea Place, which doubled as Walden Manor.  A stunning 16th Century manor house, Boughton Monchelsea Place has an ancient deer park and has unrivalled views across the Kent Weald.

The house is no stranger to filming. In addition to the many fashion shoots that it has hosted, last year it played host to reality TV series Australian Princess which sees young Australians going through lessons in ‘royal deportment’, the winner being ‘crowned’ Princess.  The house itself is not open to the public. However they are open for events, weddings and of course filming.

The programme also filmed on location in Teston village and Country Park as well as Herne Bay.

Herne Bay has a shingle beach, bandstand and seafront gardens as well as many shops and eateries, amusement arcades, and a windmill. Previous productions which have filmed in Herne Bay include Boomers (2014) and Big Bad World (2013).

Teston is a rural village on the outskirts of Maidstone and is home to Teston Bridge Country Park which has 32 acres of grazed meadow, river walks, a children’s play area and the picturesque 14th century Teston Bridge which was used for filming of feature film Dunkirk (1958).

The novel written by Morag Joss won a CWA Silver Dagger Award in 2003. She has recently completed her fifth novel Puccini’s Ghosts.

Half Broken Things was shown on ITV on Sunday 28th October 2007 at 21.00

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

The Collector (1965)

Posted on by Kent Film Office

Director: William Wyler
Starring: Terence Stamp, Samantha Eggar, Maurice Dallimore
Production Company: Collector Company, Columbia Pictures Corporation
Kent Locations Used: Gabriel’s Manor in Edenbridge and Westerham Village

The Collector (1965) is a psychological thriller about the fantasies of Freddie Clegg (Terence Stamp). His obsession with collecting beautiful objects begins innocently with butterflies. However, after several years of stalking the woman he loves, Miranda (Samantha Eggar), he decides he must collect her. After locking the pretty art student in an outbuilding on his property, he hopes that in time she will fall in love with him.  Miranda soon realises that there is a chance she may never escape.

Directed by Three time Oscar winner William Wyler (The Best Years of Our Lives, Ben-Hur) and starring Terence Stamp (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, The Limey) Samantha Eggar (The Brood, Hercules) and Maurice Dallimore (Batman, Fair Exchange).

Westerham makes a brief appearance towards the end of the film when Freddie goes looking for a doctor. Westerham is a pretty Kentish town known for its stately homes, beautiful gardens, monuments and country pubs.  It is located in the Sevenoaks district and easily commutable from London.

Also located in Sevenoaks is Edenbridge, a small town with a largely medieval character. Gabriel’s Manor in Edenbridge was the perfect setting for Freddie’s house with its secluded location, private driveway and outhouse located at the front of the property.

The Collector (1965) was first released on Wednesday 13th October 1965 and is now available to buy on DVD.

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