Film crews were shooting at Amberley Museum this week - here’s why

On Monday the museum played host to filming scenes for Vindication Swim, due for release in 2021, from Sussex-based Relsah Productions.

This film is the second for director Elliott Hasler, currently the youngest UK film director.

Elliott’s first film, released when he was 16, was ‘Charlie’s Letters’, an epic depiction of his great-grandfather’s WW2 experiences.

Vindication Swim is a film about the swimmer Mercedes Gleitze (played by Kirsten Callaghan) who was born in Brighton.

Within the shadow of WW1, she fights to overcome the patriarchal society of 1920s England, along with her troubled coach Harold Best, to become the first English woman to swim the Channel.

However, after a rival comes forward claiming to have already accomplished the feat, Gleitze is forced to battle against the Channel Swimming Association in order to retain her record and her legacy.

John Locke who has appeared in two recent Oscar winning films, Darkest Hour and The Favourite plays her coach, Best.

John has in depth knowledge of Elliott, and his directing style from his involvement in Charlie’s Letters.

Amberley Museum provided Elliott with access to the museum for the day, supported by its volunteers, as a backdrop to enable filming of some 1920s scenes including use of the museums buildings, buses and cars.

A cast of local volunteer extras all dressed in 1920s attire to support the filming.

These included local museums and amateur dramatic groups from Amberley Museum, Arundel Museum, Regis Players, Storrington Drama Club, Arundel Players, Worthing Ramblers, Steyning Drama Club and Brighton U3A.

Four members of Storrington Camera Club were invited to come along to take images of the days filming activities to capture life behind the cameras for publicity purposes and share with the volunteer groups.