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PRODUCTION UK / USA

Mike Leigh to commence Peterloo

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- CANNES 2017: Cornerstone to represent film to buyers at Cannes Film Market

Mike Leigh to commence Peterloo
Director Mike Leigh

UPDATE (18 May 2017): British auteur Mike Leigh will commence principal photography on Peterloo [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mike Leigh
film profile
]
next week. The film is about the 1819 massacre by government forces at a peaceful pro-democracy rally at St Peter’s Field in Manchester, when 700 working people were injured, and 18 killed. The film will shoot on location in England until late August.

Amazon Studios (US) is co-financier and US distributor, with additional finance coming from Film4 (UK), who backed the film’s development, the British Film Institute, and Lipsync (UK). Cornerstone Films is handling international sales and is representing the film to buyers at the ongoing Cannes Film Market. Georgina Lowe is producing, while Gail Egan is serving as executive producer.

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Leigh said, “There has never been a feature film about the Peterloo massacre. Apart from the universal political significance of this historic event, the story has a particular personal resonance for me, as a native of Manchester and Salford.”

Mike Leigh made his feature debut in 1971 with Bleak Moments that won the Golden Leopard at Locarno. After a nearly two decade long sojourn in television, Leigh returned to film with High Hopes (1988) that won three European Film Awards and the FIPRESCI Prize at Venice. Highlights of his glittering career include Naked (1993) that won Best Actor for David Thewlis and Best Director at Cannes; Secrets & Lies (1996) that won a Golden Globe and two BAFTAs; Topsy-Turvy (1999) that won a BAFTA and an Oscar and the Volpi Cup at Venice; Vera Drake [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
 (2004) that won the Golden Lion at Venice and two BAFTAs; and Another Year [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mike Leigh
film profile
]
 (2010) that won a special mention at the Cannes Ecumenical Jury Prize. His last release Mr. Turner [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mike Leigh
film profile
]
 (2014) won best actor for Timothy Spall at Cannes and went on to gross £6.8 million in the UK.

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