FILMING has continued in Stratford for Two Hats’ production of Calling the Tune.
The movie is a wartime romance set in 1980 in the Loire Valley, mid-western France, with flashbacks to the 1940s. And much of the action has been shot in and around the Stratford area.
The latest local installment saw a battle scene filmed in Alveston and a wedding at Billesley.
The film’s writer-director, Roger Harding, said: “It’s difficult to find locations in the Midlands that can mimic the Loire Valley in France, but we think we did pretty well with these two locations.
“The battle scene showed the final stages of the last act of French resistance at the Battle of Saumur. Few British people know about this battle, in which 2000 French cadets from the Saumur Cavalry School, held up the Nazi advance for three days at the River Loire, hoping for a French counter-attack. Some of the defenders were as young as 14-years-old.”
Charlotte Wallis plays French woman Gisele and Christopher Mulvin her German admirer. The film also stars Jason Plessas.
Shooting took place during torrential rain, with a cast of actors and extras, some from local theatre company Playbox
The second day’s shoot was an altogether happier event. The tiny church at Billesley, one of the contenders for William Shakespeare’s marriage to Anne Hathaway, became a French church for the day.
With its Norman arches and light stonework it was a close match for a Loire Valley church.
The bride wore an authentic 1940 wedding dress and had her hair styled to fit the period by Janine Wheeler.
Filming has also taken place in Alveston, King Edward VI Grammar School, All Things Rural at Redhill, Brogan’s Irish Bar and the Iron Works, both in Warwick, and Warwickshire County Council’s headquarters – Shire Hall.
Shooting continues and is expected to complete around the end of October. The film will then be pitched for distribution.
For more information visit http://www.twohatsfilms.co.uk/current-project.html
