Last Saturday, Dreamland Cinema played host to two packed screenings of “Exodus”, the Channel 4/Artangel film that was produced in the town last year. In attendance were townspeople and local artists who had worked on the film, as well as director Penny Woolcock and Artangel co-director Michael Morris.

So what about the film? Exodus is not a shiny happy film. There are no sequins or Hollywood smiles.

Exodus is grimy and political, and all the better for it. Have no doubts, this is a professional film with serious ambition - it’s beautifully designed and executed.
Antony Gormley’s Wasteman and the hundreds of extras look spectacular on film, and the scenic railway is utterly iconic as the backdrop for the Dreamland shanty town.

I heard alot of talk about Exodus acting as a launch pad for many local people - there are a number of faces that look great on screen and are bound to be noticed - and if Exodus wins any awards it must surely be for it’s direction and visual appeal.

The film is due to have it’s official première at the Venice Film Festival this summer; the earliest it will hit Channel 4 screens will be this December. It’s worth the wait.