Ken Loach's new film The Old Oak is to have two red carpet premiere nights in the region, it has been announced, in celebration of the drama's eagerly-awaited release.
In special treatment for the North East, where the award-winning director has set his last three films, the new film will be screened at both Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle and Gala Theatre in Durham. And Loach, accompanied by his film-making team including writer Paul Laverty as well as cast members, will attend both.
The Old Oak is to be 87-year-old Loach's last film and it follows on from his Bafta-winning I, Daniel Blake and Sorry We Missed You which were both shot in the region. It was made in County Durham last year.
Read More: Chronicle goes behind the scenes during filming of The Old Oak
Filming for the drama was focused around Murton and other areas around County Durham and its title is the name of a pub at the heart of the story about a former mining community where the arrival of refugees from Syria causes friction with local residents before they manage to find some common ground.
Playing the pub landlord, TJ Ballantyne, is Dave Turner, a retired firefighter from Blaydon.
While the film's UK premiere has yet to take place, it has been shown at festivals abroad, to great acclaim. It was nominated earlier this year for a Palme d'Or at Cannes - where Loach received a standing ovation - and it recently won the coveted Prix du Public, the prize of the public, at The Locarno Film Festival in Spain.
Its local screenings will both take place on September 21, with the first premiere being at Gala Theatre in Durham at 6pm followed by Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle at 7.15pm, with guests being seated 15 minutes earlier at both. And Loach and the team will travel between the two locations so that they can introduce the film at each venue.
In extra good news for the area, it was recently announced that the North East International Film Festival has secured a special showing of the film too. The festival will be back from September 25 to October 1 and a pre-opening event will see The Old Oak screened at Everyman Cinema in Newcastle on September 23. There will be limited tickets available for the event: see here.
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