The BFI London Film Festival is to broadcast the premiere of Mike Leigh’s Peterloo live from Manchester, the first time it has premiered a film outside of the capital.
The premiere will take place at HOME in Manchester on October 17th, and will be followed by a Q&A simulcast to cinemas around the UK.
Distributed by Entertainment One (eOne), Peterloo stars Rory Kinnear, Maxine Peake, Neil Bell, Philip Jackson, Vincent Franklin, Karl Johnson and Tim McInnerny.
Written and directed by Mike Leigh, the film tells the story of the Peterloo massacre – which took place 199 years ago today on August 16th 1819 – when a peaceful pro-democracy rally at St Peter’s Field in Manchester turned into one of the bloodiest and most notorious episodes in British history.
The massacre saw British government forces charge into a crowd of over 60,000 that had gathered to demand political reform and protest against rising levels of poverty. Many protestors were killed and hundreds more injured, sparking a nationwide outcry but also further government suppression.
Leigh said: “It’s always an honour to be included in the glorious London Film Festival, but how inspired and generous of the Festival to screen Peterloo in Manchester, where it all happened! I’m truly delighted!”
eOne will release Peterloo in cinemas across the UK on November 2nd, 2018.
