Bridport Electric Palace has secured two showings of Far From The Madding Crowd for the town, hot on the heels of the new film’s Dorset premiere.
The film will be shown in Bridport on Thursday 28 May and Saturday 30 May, with a special Q&A with Countess of Sandwich Caroline Montagu, who lives at Mapperton House, near Beaminster, where much of the film was set.
Electric Palace general manager Susan Warren said: “We’re thrilled that Fox Searchlight Pictures have given us the go-ahead because otherwise we would have had to wait for at least six weeks after release.
“The gala showing at Bridport Electric Palace on 17 April was a great success but it was by invitation only. We knew there were lots of other local people who wanted to see it here in Bridport so we had to work very quickly to see if Fox would treat us as a special case and allow us to show it as one-off.
“They were very happy to do that because they know how much the film means to the area.
“Tickets will be at a special price of £4 because we want as many people from the Bridport area to come and enjoy this lovely film.”
The venue still has all the point-of-sale display material from the gala showing. That special ‘Dorset feel’ will be enhanced by music in the foyer and the sale of local produce including wine from the Furleigh Estate at Salway Ash and Allington Hill Apple Juice.
Reviewers say the star of the movie, which involved many local extras, is the Dorset landscape.
Key scenes were shot at Mapperton House, near Beaminster, which in the film is the home of the main character Bathsheba Everdene, played by Carey Mulligan.
The film location team say they fell in love with Mapperton instantly. Lady Sandwich said the filming was quite an extraordinary experience.
“It was great fun seeing behind the scenes, especially when things were being improvised as they have to be,” she said.
“The night scenes were some of the most beautiful despite the rain. They put up these huge gantries and the whole place was illuminated, it looked fantastic.”
Lady Sandwich she was delighted to be involved in of the film at Bridport and was pleased local people wouldn’t have very far to travel to see it.
Conducting the Q&A will be writer and ex-Bridport and Lyme Regis News editor Margery Hookings, who now helps with publicity at Bridport Electric Palace.
She said: “I used to live and work on the Mapperton estate and I’m not surprised the film crew and cast were so enchanted by it. It’s one of my favourite places in the whole world.
“I’ve seen the film and it’s a joy, it really is. And I’m looking forward to hearing from Lady Sandwich what it was like behind the scenes.”
Far From The Madding Crowd will be showing at Bridport Electric Palace on Thursday 28 May and Saturday 30 May. Doors open at 6.45pm, with a live Q&A at 7.30pm and the film at 8pm. Tickets, at £4, are available from The Electric Palace or online via Seetickets.com
