Film shot in Bridgnorth set for worldwide release next week
A film that was shot in Bridgnorth is set to be released on Amazon Prime next week.
Bridgnorth director Myles Petford co-wrote and shot 'I was a Soldier' (then, called Falklands Square) back in 2019. Now, five years later, the 28-year-old is celebrating it finally making it to the small screens.
Described by Myles as a "gritty, independent British movie", the film is based on the real story of lead actor Russell Meyers' father's life, telling the story of homeless Falklands veteran, Dave Simms, who is fighting to raise money to save his beloved dog, Sally.
The movie snagged the ‘Best Indie Feature’ award at the 2022 Liverpool Independent Awards, and was an official selection at the Birmingham Film Festival as well as Milton Keynes, Indie House and Cannes.
While set and filmed largely in Portsmouth, eagle-eyed Salopians might pick up on a few Shropshire spots, as the former Bridgnorth Endowed student Myles couldn't resist shooting in his home county.
Myles said scenes shot in Castle Gardens and at nearby David Austin Roses will be easily recognisable, while a nighttime war scene was filmed near The Hobbins.
With a production process that was brought to a halt by Covid and an original release date delayed by strikes, we caught up with the young director - who was just 24 when he shot the movie - to see how he was feeling about the long-awaited worldwide release.
"I'm very excited for it to be out there," he said. "It's been such a long process. I've been through many different elements of my life in the last five years.
"The filming process was five years ago but the casting process would have been six. We've all aged and matured and changed. I'm really looking forward to the cast and crew being able to go on Amazon and sit down and press play."
Now, at 28, Myles' day job is directing for Coronation Street and Hollyoaks, while his next project is in development.
His production credits include Black Mirror, The Flash and Riverdale alongside directing credits for Casualty and Emmerdale.
Even though he's accrued a wealth of screen credits in his relatively short career so far, Myles still considers himself a "silly billy from Bridgnorth" and is constantly blown away by his own successes.
"I think it's so funny, I did the Christmas episode [of Coronation Street] last year and it was watched by 27 million people - that's absolutely mad.
"But the fact is I've worked really hard to get here. I live all around the country because I have to just follow the work. The job is a real grind."
The film is set for release on April 9 and will be shown on Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Google Play.