Partner Article

Gateshead backdrop for new movie

The streets of Gateshead are to provide the backdrop to a new film. Full Monty star Robert Carlyle plays Father Joseph Macavoy, a Catholic priest in the thriller The Tournament which has begun shooting on Tyneside. Made by film company Mannmade, it is about a battle that takes place every 10 years between a group of contestants made up of world’s greatest assassins.

Jonathon Frank of Middlesbrough created the film and it is being directed by Scott Mann of Newton Aycliffe.

Mr Frank said: “Gateshead is a lovely place - maybe not so much the High Street though. It was the perfect place to shoot. I came up with the idea for the film when I was at Teesside University.

“I’ve lived in the North East all my life and I’ve no intention of leaving - it is a great place with personality and character and that is why we are filming here. “It was fun shooting in Gateshead. But it is not just Gateshead - we are shooting all over the region including Billingham.”

Other stars include Ving Rhames, who appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction as drug dealer Marsellus Wallace.

The film is due to be released next year.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .