JACK LOWDEN'S PERIOD SET BIOPIC BENEDICTION ON WW1 HERO AND POET SIEGFRIED SASSOON TO COMPETE AT TORONTO AND SAN SEBASTIAN FILM FESTIVALS!

 JACK LOWDEN'S BENEDICTION

DOING A FALL FESTIVAL RUN

While we are waiting for the first trailer, Terence Davies movie drama BENEDICTION has announced a festival run this Autumn: it will have its world premiere at Toronto Film Festival (September 9-18th) and will then compete at San Sebastian (17-25th September). Jack Lowden leads the

Jack Lowden plays famous WW1 poet Siegfried Sassoon

biopic of Siegfried Sassoon, one of WW1's leading poets, which will detail his rise to acclaim for his unsparing, often satirical descriptions of trench warfare. After serving with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, where he was known as “Mad Jack” on account of his suicidal feats of bravery, he spoke out against the war

Jeremy Irvine is Sassoon's lover Ivor Novello

and narrowly escaped being court-martialled. The film will also recount his closeted post-war life, when being gay was still a criminal offence in Britain. He had an affair with composer and actor Ivor Novello (Jeremy Irvine), and later married and converted to Roman Catholicism. During his life he met

Terence Davies drama will premiere at Toronto Film Festival

pretty much met all of the 20th century's most famous people! Gemma Jones, Kate Phillips, Ben Daniels, Geraldine James, and Anton Lesser also star in the movie. Toronto will, meanwhile, also see the world premiere of Kenneth Branagh's Belfast with Judi Dench, Ciaran Hinds and Jamie Dornan. Venice is, meanwhile, filled with Hollywood crap this year.