Dame Judi joins stars on pier for 30s thriller
ASTRING of A-list actors including Dame Judi Dench and Eddie Izzard are shooting scenes for their new historical thriller on Penarth pier.
The landmark is being used as the backdrop for scenes in Six Minutes to Midnight – a thriller which has already seen filming taking place on the town’s seafront.
This means the pier will be closed to the public until Sunday.
The 1930s-set film is based on true events, and follows the story of a teacher assigned to a finishing school on the south coast of England where the daughters of high-ranking Nazis learn to become faithful members of Hitler’s League of German Girls. The period film stars Dame Judi as the school’s headmistress and Eddie Izzard as a teacher accused of murder.
Councillor John Thomas, leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, said: “We see this as an excellent opportunity to allow one of the Vale’s most iconic landmarks to be featured in a production which is likely to attract a large audience. It is also an excellent income opportunity for the council, which given the current financial climate, we could not turn down.
“Businesses who have had to close for this period will be suitably compensated for the disruption and we hope that in the long term it will attract more visitors to the area.”
This is the latest in a long line of productions that have been filmed in Cardiff and the Vale, with the likes of Doctor Who, Casualty and Sherlock all shooting scenes in the past.
Last week Golden Grove mansion and Gelli Aur Country Park, near Llandeilo, were also revealed as the primary shooting location for Six Minutes to Midnight.
A spokesman for the production company said: “Six Minutes to Midnight is a pre-WW2 thriller starring Eddie Izzard, Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent set to be released by Lionsgate in the UK. We are filming the entire production across various locations in Wales and are delighted that the Vale of Glamorgan has been so supportive to our filming needs. It really highlights the Vale as a filmfriendly council that we will definitely be returning to.”
Many scenes are being shot at Penarth pier after a health and safety row about filming at Llandudno pier, in Conwy.
Adam Williams, managing director of Tir Prince Leisure Group, which owns the pier in north Wales, told the Daily Post: “It’s really unfortunate. We were really looking forward to it. The safety of the pier and the potential damage that could have been caused meant that we couldn’t proceed.”