Written by Tom Deehan on Jun 16, 2017. Posted in On Location / Production News

London’s Hampstead at the centre of a new film starring Diane Keaton and Brendan Gleeson

Joel Hopkins’ latest romantic comedy, Hampstead, highlights a variety of locations throughout the North London area in a story inspired by the life of Harry Hallowes, the ‘Hermit of Hampstead’.

FilmFixer coordinated the shoot in early 2016 at Flask Walk, Hampstead High Street, Holly Bush Passage and Church Row. One scene at Villa Bianca in Perris Court (pictured) was shot with 45 members of cast and crew present.

The project is a collaboration between Ecosse Films, Motion Picture Capital and Scope Pictures, with a script penned by Robert Festinger.

FilmFixer Director, Karen Everett explains: “there’s talk that this could be Hampstead’s reply to Notting Hill. It’s certainly going to put the neighbourhood on the map. Locals might have differing views on whether Harry Hallowes’ story should have been manipulated in this plot. But certainly, Hampstead’s locations are rendered beautifully on screen in this film.”

A small portion of the film was also shot in Kingston’s Old Court, coordinated by Surrey Film Office over a three-day period. The location recently featured in Mick Jackson’s historical drama, Denial.

As an area of London largely unaffected by modernisation, Hampstead is a highly popular filming location, particularly for period dramas. Locations within Hampstead can be seen in such films as Allied, The Theory of Everything and Pride.

Based on the life of Harry Mellowes, a man who won squatter’s rights for a piece of land worth GBP2 million in Hampstead Heath, the film stars Diane Keaton, Brendan Gleeson and James Norton.

The UK offers a 25% tax rebate incentive for feature films that spend incur a 10% minimum spend of their budget locally.

Hampstead will be released in UK cinemas nationwide on June 23^rd.