Ken Loach's The Old Oak movie filmed in County Durham

Starring Dave Turner and newcomer Ebla Mari, and filmed by Ken Loach, The Old Oak had its World Premiere at the Cannes Film Festival 2023, and will be released nationwide in UK & Irish cinemas on September 29, this year - but the filming of it was much more local.

The film sees BAFTA-winning director Loach return to the North East following his previous two films I, Daniel Blake, winner of the Palme d’Or and BAFTA Outstanding British Film awards, and Sorry We Missed You which both also shot in the region.

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Shooting occurred across County Durham last year in locations including Murton, Easington Colliery and Horden.

In its film description, The Old Oak is described as "a special place".  

"Not only is it the last pub standing, but it’s also the only remaining public space where people can meet in a once thriving mining community that has fallen on hard times after 30 years of decline."

A clip from The Old Oak (Image: STUDIOCANAL)

"The film follows the story of TJ Ballantyne (Dave Turner), the landlord who is hanging on to The Old Oak by his fingertips, and his predicament is endangered even more when the pub becomes contested territory after the arrival of Syrian refugees who are placed in the village without any notice.

Dave Turner (Sorry We Missed You) and newcomer Ebla Mari (Image: STUDIOCANAL)

TJ meets a curious young Syrian Yara [Ebla Mari] with her camera in an unlikely friendship. Can they find a way for the two communities to understand each other? 

The film is a Sixteen Films and Why Not production made with the support of the BFI, awarding National Lottery funding, and BBC Film, in co-production with Les Films du Fleuve.