A ‘THRIFTY’ reshoot of the famous one-take seafront scene from hit movie Atonement is taking place on Redcar beach this summer as part of the build-up to a popular festival.

The organisers of the Festival of Thrift have commissioned artist and film-maker Richard DeDomenici to make a super-thrifty version of the five-minute Dunkirk scene from the 2007 Oscar-winning film.

And local volunteers are needed to take part for everything from acting to being part of the support crew, to reflect the filming 12 years ago when

The film’s original director Joe Wright, who also directed last year’s Oscar-winning film ‘Darkest Hour’, has given the project his blessing and paid tribute to the town and the people who were involved with the 2007 film.

He said: “Redcar and the community there were integral to the filming of ‘Atonement’ and a total inspiration. I have incredibly fond memories of the place and wish you all well with this exciting endeavour.

He added: “Can’t wait to see the results. Go Redcar!”

Mr DeDomenici pioneered ‘redux’ movies – re-creating movie scenes in the places where they were originally shot, but using local people, cheap props and a hand-held camera – for festivals and events all around the world.

The original Atonement Dunkirk scene shows a group of soldiers walking up the beach as military and civilian personnel prepare to evacuate from the beach, passing battered and wounded comrades and wrecked vehicles.

Festival of Thrift Director Stella Hall said that there was a lot to pack into the filming and many volunteers would be needed.

“It is going to a huge amount of fun and, in keeping with Joe Wright’s superb original film, we are looking for people who would like to get involved.

“It’s open to everyone over the age of 16, male and female, and for every aspect of the project from ‘acting’ to being part of the support crew.

“We are aiming to make Redcar and Joe Wright proud.”

The festival organisers are also looking for any army style clothing or kit-bags or helmets to wear or to be lent for the day, or even vintage type vehicles.

The Festival of Thrift’s Atonement Redux will be premiered on Friday September 21 as part of the launch party for this year’s Festival of Thrift at Kirkleatham Museum in Redcar.

It will also be shown several times during the festival weekend from September 22-23. After that it will be available to watch on YouTube. Visit www.festivalofthrift.co.uk/atonement_volunteer/ to register interest in being involved with the thrifty version of Atonement.

Hundreds of cast and crew came to Redcar in 2006 as filming took place for the original multi-million pound film, based on Ian McEwan’s best-selling novel.

The seafront was transformed into a bombed-out French beach-head, where 330,000 British, French and Belgian troops were evacuated as the German Army swept across Europe.

Artificial buildings, including a bombed-out house, bandstand, and seaside hotel, were created and houses were painted over to give an authentic French feel, with half-buried tanks, rubble and craters in the houses giving the impression of a warzone. The Regent Cinema also played a starring role, the setting for a battle scene.

Ten thrifty remakes of famous films:

  • Alice in Poundland
  • One Flew Over the Pigeon’s Nest
  • Brewster’s Thousands
  • The Bridge Over The River Skerne
  • Bingo Royale
  • Star Wars: The Empire Stays At Home
  • A Clockwork Satsuma
  • Apocalypse Sometime Soon
  • Almost Saving Private Ryan
  • Gone With The Breeze