Mike Leigh starts shooting Peterloo for Film4

Shooting starts next week on Mike Leigh’s Peterloo. 

The story of the infamous 1819 massacre at a peaceful pro-democracy rally at St Peter's Field in Manchester, when many working people were injured and killed, the film will shoot on location in England until late August. A cast of over 100 actors has been assembled. 

Amazon Studios is co-financier and US distributor, with additional finance coming from Film4, who backed the film's development, the BFI, and Lipsync.  Cornerstone Films is handling international sales and distribution.   

Peterloo reunites the writer-director with his regular team of Oscar® and BAFTA winners and nominees, headed by producer Georgina Lowe, and including Dick Pope (cinematography), Suzie Davies (production design), Jacqueline Durran (costumes), Christine Blundell (hair and make-up), Jon Gregory (editing)  and Gary Yershon (music).  Gail Egan is executive producer. 

'There has never been a feature film about the Peterloo Massacre,' says Leigh. 'The universal significance of this historic event becomes ever more relevant in our own turbulent times.' 

Peterloo is Mike Leigh's 21st feature film and fourth period feature, following the award-winning Topsy-Turvy and Vera Drake, and, most recently, Mr. Turner, recipient of four Oscar® nominations and four BAFTA nominations. Mr. Turner was also Leigh's UK biggest box-office hit to date, grossing £6.8 million in its home territory.