ATONEMENT STARTS PRINCIPLE PHOTOGRAPHY IN SHROPSHIRE

Working Title Films is delighted to announce the start of principal photography on ATONEMENT, directed by Joe Wright, starring Keira Knightley, James McAvoy and Romola Garai.

ATONEMENT is set during the summer of 1935, Dunkirk in 1940 and London in 1999. Alongside Knightley, McAvoy and Garai will be newcomer Saoirse Ronan, playing the pivotal role of the fledgling young writer 13 year old Briony Tallis, who dramatically changes the course of all their lives when she accuses her sister's lover of a crime he did not commit.

Shooting will take place in Shropshire, London, Grimsby and the Teeside town of Redcar which will become Dunkirk in 1940.

Christopher Hampton has written the screenplay adapted from Ian McEwan's best selling novel. The producers are Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Paul Webster. The film's executive producers are Richard Eyre, Robert Fox, Debra Hayward and Liza Chasin. Critically acclaimed and award winning actresses Brenda Blethyn, who played Mrs Bennet in Pride & Prejudice, and Academy Award winner Vanessa Redgrave also star. The supporting cast includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Kennedy, Juno Temple, Peter Wight, Daniel Mays and Nonso Anozie.

Tim Bevan and Paul Webster commented, "We are thrilled to be collaborating with Joe Wright again in bringing Ian McEwan's extraordinary novel to the big screen. With Christopher Hampton's beautiful script our peerless cast and crew will create a classic British romance."