City to welcome cast and director at Peterloo film premiere

A still from the forthcoming film about Peterloo

Manchester is set to host the premiere of the forthcoming Mike Leigh film telling the story of the city's Peterloo Massacre.

Peterloo will have its first UK screening at First Street cinema and arts centre HOME on Wednesday, October 17, attended by the Salford-born director and members of the cast.

The film, which tells the story of the massacre of pro-democracy protesters in St Peter's Field, 199 years ago today, stars Maxine Peake, Rory Kinnear, Neil Bell, Philip Jackson, Vincent Franklin, Karl Johnson and Tim McInnerny.

Read Martha Southall's thought-provoking story of Oldham's forgotten tragedy here.

The peaceful rally turned into one of the bloodiest and most notorious episodes in British political history when government forces charged into the crowd of more than 60,000 people who had gathered to demand political reform and protest against rising poverty.

An estimated 18 protesters were killed and hundreds more were injured, sparking a nationwide outcry and further government suppression.

It became a defining moment in British democracy and paved the way for working men, and then women, to get the vote.

The film will premiere at HOME as part of the BFI London Film Festival - the first time the event has premiered a film outside of the capital.

Peterloo is released in cinemas across the UK on November 2.

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