Jackdaw: Cinema release date for Teesside movie featuring new Sam Fender music

A movie shot in Teesside and featuring exclusive new music from Sam Fender will be released in cinemas in January.

Jackdaw is set in and shot on location in Hartlepool and Teesside around sites including Seal Sands, Nunthorpe, Redcar and the North Sea.

It is the first feature-length film written by Jamie Childs, who was brought up in Shotton Colliery, County Durham, and was made at The Northern Film and TV Studios, the North East’s only large-scale film and TV production facility, with funding from the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority and the North East Production Fund.

Oliver Jackson-Cohen, who appeared in The Invisible Man and The Haunting of Hill House, Dr Who star Jenna Coleman and Game of Thrones' Rory McCann all feature in the film, which will hit the big screen on 26 January and feature new music from Geordie musician Fender.

The action-thriller follows the story of Jack Dawson, a fictional former motocross champion and army veteran, who returns to his Teesside hometown to care for his brother after their mother dies.

Childs said he wanted to highlight the North East's character within the film and prove to others that more movies can be made in the region.

“We see so many American films set in atmospheric towns that don't tie themselves to local, kitchen-sink stories," he said. "I thought, why don't we do this in Britain? We set out to push the envelope of what was possible stylistically and tonally in our region.

"I wanted to prove to an up-and-coming wave of potential filmmakers that we can take advantage of what’s right on our doorstep and still appeal to an international audience. I’d like to thank North East Screen and the Tees Valley Combined Authority for helping us make this all possible.” 

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen praised Childs for his work and for bringing a bigger audience to Teesside.

“Jamie is a fantastic example of another homegrown talent taking huge strides on the global stage.," he said. "It's wonderful to have him back on his home patch with Jackdaw.

"This is yet another fantastic chance for us to showcase ourselves as a filming and production capital, with our big investment into the industry already reaping rewards.

"There truly has never been a better time for local people to get into the film industry."

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