U.K. artist turned filmmaker Steve McQueen has followed all kinds of topics in his short but compelling feature-film career: slavery in “12 Years A Slave,” the Irish troubles in “Hunger,” British racism, and Black lives in the 1970s in his “Small Axe” film anthology, and for his latest film, “Blitz,” he recalls the German air raid bombings of London during WWII known as the blitzkrieg. Of course, it wouldn’t be McQueen to throw a twist on top of a historical thriller, so he turns “Blitz,” not only into an immediate experiential thriller about living through a bombing and having to find safety underground but also a harrowing story about a young boy who gets lost among all the chaos.
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In fact, “Blitz” is told from the perspective of a young 9-year-old boy, plated by newcomer Elliott Heffernan. “Blitz” has a vast cast and stars the Oscar-nominated Saoirse Ronan as the boy’s mother. The supporting ensemble includes Harris Dickinson, Benjamin Clementine, Kathy Burke, Weller, Stephen Graham, Leigh Gill, Mica Ricketts, CJ Beckford, Alex Jennings, Joshua McGuire, Hayley Squires, Erin Kellyman, and Sally Messham, and even a small role for British rocker Paul Weller.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Sir Steve McQueen’s “Blitz” follows the epic journey of George (Elliott Heffernan), a 9-year-old boy in World War II London whose mother Rita (Saoirse Ronan) sends him to safety in the English countryside. George, defiant and determined to return home to his mom and his grandfather Gerald (Paul Weller) in East London, embarks on an adventure, only to find himself in immense peril while a distraught Rita searches for her missing son.
McQueen reunites with production designer Adam Stockhausen (“12 Years a Slave,” “Widows”), costume designer Jacqueline Durran (“Small Axe”), and composer Hans Zimmer (“12 Years a Slave”). Cinematographer Yorick Le Saux (“Little Women”) and makeup designer Naomi Donne (“No Time to Die”) join his creative team.
McQueen’s Lammas Park produces alongside Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner of Working Title Films, Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan, and Michael Schaefer for New Regency, with producers Anita Overland and Adam Somner.
An Apple Original Film, “Blitz” will have its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival, its North American premiere at the New York Film Festival, and its opening in theaters on November 1. Watch the first trailer below.
