The Journal, September 2012
An eagerly awaited feature film shot last summer in Newcastle and Durham is to get its world premiere in Canada this weekend.
Song for Marion, starring Terence Stamp, Vanessa Redgrave, Gemma Arterton and Christopher Eccleston, supported by a huge cast of North East extras, has been chosen to close the Toronto Film Festival on Saturday.
This has been interpreted as a good omen for the film which has already been tipped as an Oscar contender in 2013.
John Tulip, managing director of Northern Film & Media, said: “The decision to close one of the world’s top film festivals with Song for Marion demonstrates the industry appetite for this feel-good movie.
“Supported by some of the most influential names in the business, we are confident that this North East film will strike a chord with audiences across the globe and become a landmark success in Northern Film & Media’s partnership with Northstar Ventures.”
The film was one of the screen projects to benefit from a unique £2.4m fund – the Finance for Business North East Creative Content Fund – set up by Northern Film & Media and the North East venture capital firm.
Production company Steel Mill Pictures received £150,000 from the fund to shoot at various North East locations. They included the Tyne Theatre where Gemma Arterton, as choir director Elizabeth, is shown on stage with her back to an audience of locally recruited extras.
If the film does win an Oscar, they will have helped to make a bit of movie-making history as well as ensuring a measure of immortality for themselves. Song for Marion, directed by Paul Andrew Williams, is a comedy drama about grumpy pensioner Arthur (Stamp) who is persuaded by his dear wife Marion (Redgrave) to join an unconventional local choir.
At loggerheads with son James (Eccleston), it is left to Elizabeth (Arterton) to escort Arthur on a life-affirming journey of musical self-discovery. Lots of North East choir members responded to the call for extras and it’s feasible that the film could result in a boost to choir recruitment across the country.
An Oscar would certainly be the cherry on the cake for Northstar Ventures which also supported United, the film drama about the Busby Babes, and the documentary film One Night in Turin, reflecting on the famous England versus West Germany match at the Italia 90 European football championships.
Dr Michelle Cooper, investment manager at Northstar Ventures, said: “The Toronto gala screening of Song for Marion is the latest coup for our pilot fund with Northern Film & Media. Our partnership has developed a portfolio of high profile commercial film, TV and digital media investments which have boosted the North East’s creative credentials on an international stage.”
No UK release date for Song for Marion has been announced yet but distribution rights for the film are in the hands of the Weinstein Company and eOne Entertainment.