Premiere for Blitz film which shot scenes in Hull

A still from the film Blitz, with a woman and a boy dressed in 1940s clothing. They are surrounded by children playing evacuees. The woman is wearing a red coat with a black belt around her waist and with a matching red beret. The children have what appears name tags around their neck.Image source, Apple TV
Image caption,

Elliott Heffernan and Saoirse Ronan filmed scenes at Paragon Interchange in Hull

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A World War Two film shot at locations in Hull is having its premiere in London later.

Blitz, directed by Sir Steve McQueen, used parts of the city as a stand-in for1940s London and tells the story of nine-year-old George and his mother, Rita, who tries to send him to safety.

Filming took place in February 2023, when Hull locations were transformed with vintage red buses, 1940s posters and period street furniture.

Blitz will premiere at the BFI London Film Festival, before appearing in cinemas on 1 November.

Head of the festival, Kristy Matheson, said McQueen was a great filmmaker, but added that this latest work was on "another level".

"It's visually dazzling [and] it's got incredible performances - it's really such a deep social commentary he is making as well," she added.

Rita is played by Saoirse Ronan, with George played by Elliott Heffernan. The film also stars Harris Dickinson, Erin Kellyman and Stephen Graham.

Image source, Paul Schofield
Image caption,

Hull's Old Town was given a 1940s makeover ahead of filming

As well as using film locations in parts of Old Town and Hull Paragon Interchange, Blitz also used extras and actors from East Yorkshire.

The city has earned the nickname "Hullywood" in recent years, after productions including The Crown and Enola Holmes 2 were filmed at locations including High Street and Queen Victoria Square.

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