England is Mine is the new biopic about Morrissey’s early upbringing and life before he joined The Smiths.The upcoming film has been some time in the making and has now been given a premiere date.
The film will make its debut at the 71st Edinburgh International Film Festival on July 2 at the Festival Theatre.
The festival’s artistic director Mark Adams said: “Morrissey is definitively one of Britain’s most iconic artists, and we are delighted to be exploring the enigma of his incredible life story on closing night with the world premiere of England Is Mine.”
Highly influential, Morrissey is widely seen as being a key figure in the emergence of indie rock and Britpop. He is also acclaimed as one of the greatest lyricists in British history; his lyrics have even become the subject of academic study!
Born Steven Patrick Morrissey, on 22 May 1959 in Lancashire, Morrissey became involved in Manchester’s punk rock scene during the late 1970s, when he fronted The Nosebleeds, with little success. With Johnny Marr he established The Smiths in 1982, and they soon gained national recognition for their self-titled debut album.
The upcoming biopic will be a portrait of Morrissey and his early life in 1970’s Manchester. It will focus on the time before became the lead singer of seminal 80’s and The Smiths and (now) long established solo artist. The movie stars actor Jack Lowden in the title role (who starred in the BBC adaptation of War & Peace) and Jessica Findlay Brown, of Downton Abbey‘s fame has also been cast as his friend, artist Linder Sterlin.
The new movies’ producer, Orian Williams also recently confirmed that the film will end with Morrissey’s meeting of Johnny Marr, his song writing partner in The Smiths. The film -which has not been authorised by the former Smiths front man – will largely explore the front man’s youth and his “triumph over an alienated childhood to become the cult star he is today”.
Photo Credit: Kathryn Parson Photography
