Two of the most famous actors on the planet came to a King’s Cross estate to film a BBC drama to be screened on New Year’s Day.
Dame Judi Dench and Dustin Hoffman were on location at Bevin Court, off Cruikshank Street, in June, to shoot scenes for a TV adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot.
The programme, shown on BBC one at 6.30pm, January 1, will be the second time the borough has been in a high-profile screening in recent week - Finsbury featured in the recent film version of Paddington.
Cllr Janet Burgess, Islington Council’s executive member for health and wellbeing, said: “The film industry is incredibly important for the borough, providing jobs and training and helping promote Islington as a major cultural destination.”
Locations in the borough have also appeared in TV programmes Mr Selfridge, Lucan, Babylon and will be shortly on the big screen in Meryl Streep’s Suffragette; the new Simon Pegg film, Absolutely Anything and the latest film about the notorious Kray twins, Legend.
FilmFixer, who manage shoots in four borough’s including Islington, have launched a new website to allow people to find out more about how to get involved in the next Hollywood blockbuster on their doorstep.
Karen Everett, director of Filmfixer, said: “Of all the council services provided, residents possibly know the least about what’s going on in the film office. We hope this website will change that. Along with all the good news about filming in your neighbourhood, it’s important for residents to know what to do if they have a problem. The website provides a 24 hour number for residents to call. Someone will always answer this and respond immediately to help. And there’s other helpful information about questions that might come up.”
Cllr Burgess added: “This website helps to put Islington residents at the heart of filming in our neighbourhoods, providing community benefits, and ensuring we are protected and respected by film crews.”
The site includes stories about recent filming, background on famous films that shot locally in the past, and ways to get involved and how donations from filmmakers are used to benefit the area.
To find out more, visit www.islingtonfilmoffice.co.uk
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