Glitz and glamour came to Teesside this evening as stars arrived for the premiere of a County Durham director’s first feature film.
Many flocked to the red-carpet event to see names such as Jenna Coleman, of Doctor Who and Emmerdale fame, Invisible Man and Haunting of Hill House actor Oliver Jackson-Cohen, This is England’s Thomas Turgoose, and Middlesbrough-born actress Rochelle Goldie attend the first screening.
Coleman will take the role of Bo in the film, while Jackson-Cohen stars as Jack Dawson, while Turgoose takes on the role Craig.
As the cast graced the Showcase Cinema de Lux at Teesside Park, many gathered to snap pictures of the famous faces – including director and writer Jamie Childs.
Childs, who is from Shotton Colliery and has previously directed Willow, The Sandman, and His Dark Materials, said he was influenced by his experiences in the region when making the film.
He said: “[It’s been] amazing, I actually live in the region. Although I’ve gone away for work, I actually have a house in Hartlepool, my granddad lives in Wheatley Hill, I’ve been around here my whole life.
“What was amazing though was to bring a film back here, and for it to be the first feature, it always like that’s what I wanted to do.
“Especially with the first film, it feels like something personal. I had different projects floating around, and I had to try and choose what it was that interested me to make a first one, and it felt like I needed some connection to it.
“Although the story is not necessarily really personal to me, it’s based off anecdotes and stuff I know that are all North East-based ones, and some of the locations over here, I just always knew needed to be filmed and haven’t really been.
“It’s such an untapped landscape, you need to use this for something. I felt like I wanted to kick it off up here at least.”
He added production filmed in Hartlepool locations such as Brenda Road and Seal Sands – and added he plans to take on more projects in the region.
The film’s plot focuses on former motocross champion and army veteran Jack Dawson, who undertakes a dangerous job to provide for his brother after the death of their mother.
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Childs wrote the first draft of the screenplay at his house on the North East coast, drawing inspiration from the Redcar steelworks, Seal Sands and various other Teesside landmarks.
Students and graduates from The Northern School of Art also took part in the making of the action-thriller – with some supporting the production as actors and set dressers .
Another notable figure spotted at the event was Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen who also attended and posed for photos.
Here are some more pictures from the event:
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