The latest feature film to shoot on the Isle of Man – Where Hands Touch – has wrapped on the Island following the December-long shoot. Filmed on location in the North of the Island, the film is the latest project by writer-director Amma Asante.
The film stars Amandla Stenberg (The Hunger Games) and George MacKay (Pride). Abbie Cornish and Christopher Ecclestone also star in the wartime drama.
Set in Berlin in 1944, Where Hands Touch follows a bi-racial German teenager (Stenberg) who begins a friendship with a member of the Hitler youth (MacKay).
BAFTA-winning Asante, who writes and directs this project, has filmed on the Island before (for the hugely successful Belle in 2012) and was instrumental in bringing Where Hands Touch here. Her latest film, A United Kingdom, has just been released in UK cinemas to critical acclaim.
The Pinewood Pictures production shot the first half of the film in Belgium before moving to the Isle of Man at the beginning of December. A Second World War workers camp was constructed from scratch on Jurby Airfield, and there was additional filming at the nearby studios at Mountain View Innovation Centre (formerly Island Studios) and also at Knockaloe near Peel.
Over a hundred local background artists were employed by the production during the shoot, many of whom were asked to shave their heads for the roles. The Island’s extras agency Ex-Isle had the challenge of sourcing people (mostly women) for the film and the local community embraced both the long hours and difficult working conditions to take part in the harrowing camp scenes.
Where Hands Touch is the 107th feature film to shoot on the Isle of Man since the start of the film industry here in 1995. It is due for release in late 2017.