Shooting has begun, in London, on the masterful Mike Leigh’s new movie – his first since last year’s acclaimed Happy-Go-Lucky.
As ever, no title has been revealed for the movie, nor a storyline, but the cast has been announced, and it’s chock-full of Leigh regulars. Imelda Staunton, Jim Broadbent, Phil Davis and Lesley Manville are all returning for the unique Leigh experience (where, traditionally, he workshops characters with the actors, forming a screenplay and story from the results).
Only David Bradley – Filch in the Harry Potter movies – and Stuart McQuarrie are making their Leigh debuts.
It’s the first film for Leigh since the death of his long-time producing partner, Simon Channing-Williams, in April of this year. The new movie will be produced Georgina Lowe, while Focus Features are co-financing with Film 4 and The UK Film Council’s Premiere Fund.
Shooting began yesterday and will continue for the next nine weeks on a movie that marks the first time Leigh has made two films in two consecutive years since the double-whammy of Secrets & Lies and Career Girls in 1996-97. As ever, we wish him well.