Manchester is getting its own Working Title romcom moment complete with Curry Mile scenes, Night & Day Cafe cameos and a “wrong number” love story filmed across some of the city’s best-known locations.
Finding Emily, the new feature film from the studio behind Bridget Jones, Love Actually and Notting Hill, lands in cinemas tomorrow (22 May) after filming across Manchester in 2024.
The film marks the first time Working Title Films has brought one of its trademark romcom productions to Manchester, with filming taking place at Space Studios Manchester and locations across the city coordinated by Screen Manchester.
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Directed by Alicia MacDonald in her feature debut, the film stars Spike Fearn and Angourie Rice and follows “a lovesick musician who gets the wrong number for his dream girl and teams up with a driven psychology student to find her.”
Manchester itself plays a starring role. Viewers will spot locations including Manchester Central Library, Peveril of the Peak, Via on Canal Street, Pot Kettle Black, Night and Day Cafe, Curry Mile and even Piccadilly Records.
Behind the scenes, the production based itself at Space Studios, using Stage 06 to build key sets including Emily’s bedroom and a podcast studio.
Nikki-Leigh Rogers, studio co-ordinator at Space Studios Manchester, said: “Having Finding Emily with us here at Space was so exciting. Working Title are known for such iconic British movies and Finding Emily fits perfectly into that mould. We’re so proud to have hosted cast and crew and been a part of creating this world.”
Bobby Cochrane, film office manager at Screen Manchester, said the production gave the team the chance to show off the breadth of locations across the city. “We worked closely with the Finding Emily Locations Department to secure multiple locations across the city that showcased Manchester in all its glory. A wide range of different settings were required, which was fantastic to showcase the diversity of the city to a global audience.”
He added: “It was wonderful to be briefed to secure such a spectrum of city centre locations, and we can’t wait for the world to see our city!”
The production also brought in trainees through Screen Manchester, with new entrants gaining experience across art, costume, props, sound, locations and production office teams.
Elli Metcalf, Screen Manchester’s crew and facilities manager, said: “The chance to work with Working Title on Finding Emily was absolutely priceless when they invited us to supply trainees to the production.”
Produced by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, the Working Title team behind hits including About Time and Notting Hill, Finding Emily arrives in cinemas on 22 May.
