London Film Festival date for Norfolk films

Julie Christie, walking off set after filming GLorious 39 inside St Nicholas Church, Salthouse.

Two films, one of which features big name stars and both filmed on location in Norfolk are to be screened at the London Film Festival later this month

Nearly £700,000 was invested in the two films - Glorious 39 starring Julie Christie and Dr Who actor David Tennant and The Scouting Book for Boys featuring young teenage actors Thomas Turgoose and Holly Grainger - by Norwich-based regional screen agency, Screen East.

Screen legend Julie Christie was filming in Norfolk almost a year ago for the £4 million Stephen Poliakoff movie Glorious 39.

On a bitterly cold November morning the 67-year-old award-winning actress hugged a hot water bottle between takes as she filmed scenes inside St Nicholas' Church at Salthouse.

The release of the film coincides with the time of the 70th anniversary of the start of the second world war. Miss Christie's role as the formidable Aunt Elizabeth brought her back to Norfolk where she starred in the 1971 film, The Go-Between which was filmed extensively on location at Melton Constable Hall when she played love scenes with the late Alan Bates.

Also wrapped up against the biting wind on the North Norfolk coast, was another award-winning British actress Romola Garai who plays leading role of Anne alongside BAFTA winning actor Bill Nighy who plays her father, Alexander.

Dr Who actor David Tennant appears in the role of family friend Hector with the legendary Christopher Lee appears as Walter.

Young choristers from Gresham's Preparatory School at Holt are featured in the drama and were filmed and recoded singing In Dulci Jubilo and pieces by Elgar inside the church.

The film has been produced by Emmy winner Barney Reisz who was also responsible for the widely-acclaimed BBC series Elizabeth I.

The story of Glorious 39 is set between the present day London and the Norfolk countryside in the lead up to the war. The story centres on the Keyes family who are keen to uphold and preserve their very traditional English way of life.

Around 70 local people were extras when scenes for The Scouting Book for Boys were filmed in Norfolk including sequences on Holkham's much-used beach location for major films. Screen East invested £250,000 in the production and it is due to be screened on October 21.

The film, written by Jack Thorne (of Channel 4's Skins) and directed by Tom Harper, follows the story of 14-year-old David played by award-winning Turgoose who lives with his friend Emily on a caravan park on the coast of Norfolk. One day Emily goes missing and slowly David's life begins to transform in ways he never imagined.

The film was produced by Celador Films, the independent UK finance and production company behind Oscar nominated Dirty Pretty Things and the hit horror movie The Descent.

Producer Ivana MacKinnon explained that they had chosen the Holkham Bay location because of its vast wide open vistas.

Screen East is extremely proud to have its Content Investment Fund feature films screening at the 53rd London Film Festival for the second consecutive year. It ploughed £425,000 into Glorious 39.

Screen East chief executive Laurie Hayward said: “This fulfils our ambition to put the region on screen and having provided sound production investments across the film, documentary, TV and digital media to commercially viable productions we have played a pivotal role in boosting the region's employment and economic regeneration. The Fund created 60 new jobs and levered £5.25m from the private sector.

Screen East Locations assisted Glorious 39 and The Scouting Book for Boys by helping source locations, crew, and facilities which led to extensive filming in Norfolk and Suffolk including Holkham Hall and beach, Hunstanton coastline, Lowestoft. Brancaster Beach and Castle Acre Priory.

Glorious 39 is due for general release on November 20 and the release date for The Scouting Book for Boys has yet to be confirmed .

For more information see www.bfi.org.uk/lff/.