A WARMHEARTED adventure of three children and two donkeys in a chase across the North Yorks Moors has been released on DVD.
The Runaways stars Game of Thrones actor Mark Addy as Reith, a single dad who runs donkey rides on Whitby beach. When his menacing brother turns up, threatening the family, Reith’s children, Angie, Polly and Ben, make a dramatic escape to try and find their mum. Accompanying them across the Yorkshire coastal and rural landscape are two donkeys…
The impressive cast also includes Tara Fitzgerald, who starred with John Malkovich in The ABC Murders, shot in Bradford; Lee Boardman, recently in ITV drama The Trouble With Maggie Cole; Molly Windsor, who won a Bafta for acclaimed BBC drama Three Girls; and talented youngsters Rhys Connah, who in Sally Wainwright’s Happy Valley, and Macy Shackleton who played the younger Maxine Peake character in Funny Cow, shot largely in Saltaire.
The Runaways was made with support from North York Moors National Park Authourity, which provided access to the Levisham Estate, and the North York Moors Railway which allowed the team to film on Grosmont Station. “They even let us even put the donkeys on board,” says director Richard Heap. “We also had help from the landowners at Mulgrave Estate, Bayness Farm at Robin Hood’s Bay and Hartoft Moor. And the vicar at the Parish Church of St Mary and St Laurence in Rosedale Abbey allowed us to use the grounds. So many people have been kind – Scarborough Council gave us fantastic access to the streets of Whitby. Outside of that we’ve had screenings at Hebden Bridge, Elland, Hyde Park, Leeds, Halifax, Thirsk and other Yorkshire cinemas. “
It was when he landed a job filming a coast-to-coast bike ride, pedalling east from Whitehaven, that Richard had the idea for the film: “Finally seeing the sea at Tynemouth was a profoundly moving moment Afterwards I thought how powerful this feeling would be if the journey truly meant something. This was the seed of the idea that became The Runaways. Back home the story poured out of me, I couldn’t stop writing. I used Whitby as the setting because of its familiarity, a consequence of many trips to the area with my young family. Much of my film-making has been rooted in the outdoors and I knew that North Yorkshire could play a central role in The Runaways. After some inspiring trips to the area with producer Mario Roberto, the North York Moors National Park Authority, Scarborough Borough Council and local landowners began to support the project. They gave us access to the dramatic scenery our young adventurers and their two donkeys travel through.”
Adds Richard: “While unflinching in its look at grief and the failing dynamics of the modern family the undercurrent of sibling bonds is never far from the surface. I think the ebb and flow of the film’s moods are wonderfully mirrored in the changing landscapes. From the warmth of Whitby’s community through the lonely, open expanses of the moors to lush woodlands.
“We predominantly live in an urbanised world, ever more distant from the environment. It is imperative our children see stories set in nature that they can imagine being part of. I always thought producing a film with the gentle magic of The Railway Children could feel fresh, almost revolutionary. After spending four years on The Runaways I feel no different. I am hugely proud of the film, the beautiful performances from the cast and the incredible work put in from the crew, often in difficult circumstances. I’m also grateful to the people of Whitby and the North York Moors for embracing our project and welcoming us. It’s been one of the most memorable experiences of my career.”
* To view a trailer go to youtube.com/watch?v=EOc0Ui5Fmw0
Visit therunaways.film
