Terence davies’ wwi drama ‘benediction’ wraps shoot with geraldine james, jeremy irvine, simon russell beale among joiners; first look at jack lowden pic

EXCLUSIVE: Terence Davies‘ (_A Quiet Passion_) Siegfried Sassoon biopic _Benediction_ has wrapped in the UK, with joining cast including Geraldine James (_Downton Abbey_), Kate Phillips

(_Downton Abbey_), Gemma Jones (_Ammonite_), Anton Lesser (_Game Of Thrones_), Jeremy Irvine (_War Horse_), Ben Daniels (_The Crown_), Lia Williams (_The Crown_), Jude Akuwudike (_Gangs Of

London_), Suzanne Bertish (_Atlantic Crossing_), Simon Russell Beale (_The Death Of Stalin_) and Calam Lynch (_Mrs Wilson_). _Dunkirk_ and _Fighting With My Family_ star Jack Lowden leads

cast as WWI poet and soldier Sassoon. As we previously revealed, Peter Capaldi will play Sassoon in his later years. The film, which had to go on a lengthy hiatus caused by the pandemic, has

wrapped on locations in the West Midlands. Bankside has world sales rights and will be showing a promo to buyers at the upcoming AFM. Sassoon was decorated for bravery on the Western Front

and is remembered for his war poems that brought him public and critical acclaim in his time and after. He also became a focal point for dissent within the armed forces when he made a lone

protest against the continuation of the conflict. Adored by members of the aristocracy as well as stars of London’s literary and stage world, Sassoon embarked on affairs with several men as

he attempted to come to terms with his homosexuality. At the same time, broken by the horror of war, he made his life’s journey a quest for salvation, ultimately trying to find it within the

conformity of marriage and religion. WATCH ON DEADLINE Director Terence Davies said: “In the end he is a human being trying to navigate a difficult life, which is what we all do but art can

be the greatest consolation for us all.” The film is produced by Michael Elliott of EMU Films whose recent credits include Steve McQueen’s _Small Axe_ films and Alan Moore’s scripted debut

_The Show_. It was financed by the BFI, BBC Film, M.Y.R.A. Entertainment, Lipsync and Creative England via the WMPF (West Midlands Production Fund, supported by ERDF). Executive producers

are Lizzie Francke for the BFI, Rose Garnett for BBC Film, Margarethe Baillou for M.Y.R.A. Entertainment, John Taylor, Walli Ullah and Jim Mooney for EMU Films, Jack Lowden for Reiver

Pictures, Norman Merry and Peter Hampden for LipSync and Paul Ashton for Creative England.