A star-studded, locally made film celebrating the birth of the railways is heading to Richmond this spring, with a special one-off screening at The Station Cinema.
Stephen Tompkinson stars as railway pioneer George Stephenson in The First Five Miles, a documentary-drama about the Stockton and Darlington Railway that has been setting the independent film circuit alight.
The film will be shown at The Station Cinema on Thursday 5 March, following sell-out screenings at the Tees Valley International Film Festival, where it premiered last year.
Produced to mark the 200th anniversary of the world’s first passenger railway, The First Five Miles takes a fresh look at a lesser-known but crucial part of the story — the initial five-mile journey from Witton Park to Shildon that helped change transport forever.
Written and directed by award-winning Witton Park filmmaker Michael Smith, the film combines drama and documentary, drawing on local history and regional talent. Actor Bill Fellows, best known for his role as Stu Carpenter in Coronation Street, narrates the documentary sections, while Middlesbrough-born actor Michael Hodgson portrays Edward Pease, the financier behind George Stephenson’s revolutionary vision.
The Richmond screening will include a live interview and audience Q&A with Michael Smith and local historian Chris Lloyd, Chief Feature Writer at the Northern Echo and a contributor to the film, offering audiences a deeper insight into both the filmmaking process and the historical significance of the railway’s early days.
Michael Smith said it was vital that the film is first shown to communities closest to the railway’s origins. “Before we take The First Five Miles to cinemas around the country, it’s important that the people from the area that gave birth to the railways get to see it first,” he said.
Dan Westgarth, Digital Development Manager at Richmondshire Building Preservation Trust, added: “We are excited to host such a special screening celebrating local history and independent filmmaking — and there could be no better setting than a former Victorian railway station.”
The screening takes place at 7.30pm on Thursday 5 March. Tickets are available online at www.stationcinema.com.
