Irish actress Saoirse Ronan said shooting her new Second World War film gave her a “new perspective on everything that’s going on around us right now”, amid a backdrop of world conflict.
Blitz, directed by Sir Steve McQueen, launched the BFI London Film Festival on Wednesday and Ronan posed on the red carpet alongside co-stars Stephen Graham, Paul Weller and Benjamin Clementine at the Royal Festival Hall.
Ronan stars as East End mum Rita, who decides to send her nine-year-old son George (Elliott Heffernan) to the countryside from war-torn London, but grows frustrated when she is told her son has not arrived at his destination.
“I think at its core that’s the only way that I could actually relate to it. But certainly, it gave me a new perspective on everything that’s going on around us right now.”
The film was shot in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Sir Steve, whose film 12 Years A Slave won Oscars for writing and best picture a decade ago, was knighted for services to art and film by the Princess Royal at Windsor Castle in 2022.
On releasing the film amid a backdrop of escalating global violence, he told PA: “I think it is a film that one could release unfortunately at any time, but particularly now, things are pretty heightened.
He said Heffernan “merged” seamlessly into the character of George.
“The maturity and comprisal was pretty astounding,” Sir Steve said of the child star.
He added of the film: “I wanted it to be steeped in historical accuracy, but also tell us about who we are as humans, and what we always refer back to, which is just love.
“We always go back, it’s timeless.”
The film will be released on November 1 in UK cinemas.
