Director: Sally Potter
Starring: Elle Fanning, Alice Englert, Christina Hendricks, Timothy Spall, Oliver Platt, Annette Bening
Production Company: BBC Films, British Film Institute, Det Danske Filminstitut
Kent locations used: Dengemarsh Sound Mirrors, Lydd on Sea, Lade Beach, Greatstone, Lydd Ranges, Lydd, Queenborough, Isle of Sheppey
Ginger and Rosa is directed by Sally Potter and tells the story of two teenage girls living in 1960’s London under the threat of nuclear war due to the Cuban Missile Crisis. This coming of age story is a tale of friendship, desire, determination and the struggles of growing up.
The inseparable friends take different paths in life. Ginger, played by Elle Fanning (Super 8, We Bought A Zoo) becomes involved in anti-nuclear demonstrations while Rosa, played by emerging talent Alice Englert, is more interested in boys.
Supporting Fanning and Englert is an A-list cast, including Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), Timothy Spall (Harry Potter), Oliver Platt (X Men: First Class) and Annette Bening (American Beauty).
The Ginger and Rosa crew filmed at many locations in Kent, including the unique and striking sound mirrors on Dengemarsh, which look out over the shingle desert and were built in the late 1930’s for the early detection of enemy aircraft before the discovery of radar.
The production also used Lade Beach and boardwalk which is near the Romney Sands and changes from shingle at low tide to sand and mudflats as the water recedes. Also featured in the film are nearby Lydd Ranges, a military training facility.
Locations on and around the Isle of Sheppey were also used for various boating scenes, including a floating jetty at Queenborough jetty and the Swale estuary for the open water shots.
Ginger and Rosa was released in cinemas on 19th October 2012 and is now available to buy on DVD.
For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.