WWII espionage drama LIBERTÉ: A CALL TO SPY is set to have its World Premiere at the 73rd Edinburgh International Film Festival on 21st June. The timing is perfect as June will see the 75th Anniversary of D-Day. The film has also been nominated for ‘Best International Feature Film’ at the festival as well.
Inspired by true stories, the film tells the largely unknown story of a group of diverse and inspiring women who were recruited by the new spy organization “SOE” to be part of Churchill’s Secret Army. The film has been written and produced by Sarah Megan Thomas (Equity) who also portrays Virginia Hall, a young American woman who despite having a prosthetic leg became known as one of the Allies’ most dangerous spies.
The cast also includes Stana Katic (Castle, Absentia) as Vera Atkins, a hugely influential figure within the SOE who became known as the ‘Spymistress’, and Radhika Apte (Andhadhun, Sacred Games) as Britain’s first Muslim war heroine Noor Inayat Khan. Together, these women will form a sisterhood while entangled in dangerous missions to build a new spy network and stop Hitler and Nazi Germany. Homeland‘s Linus Roache also stars as Colonel Maurice Buckmaster, Rossif Sutherland (Reign) as Doctor Chevain and Marc Rissmann (Game of Thrones) as Klaus Barbie.
LIBERTÉ: A CALL TO SPY is the solo-directing debut of Lydia Dean Pilcher and has been edited by BAFTA-nominated Paul Tothill (Atonement). LIBERTÉ: A CALL TO SPY is the first feature film to be made about these historical heroes. The filmmakers used SOE’s historical records as well as those of the “OSS” (precursor to the CIA), and interviews and testimonies with individuals within the SOE and OSS communities, former CIA personnel, and Virginia Hall’s living relatives.
This is an important story, and I’m glad to hear that it is now being told by a female filmmaker. For my upcoming trip to EIFF, I am definitely adding LIBERTÉ: A CALL TO SPY to my list of ‘must see’ films at the festival. Thank you to SMT Pictures for bringing it to Filmotomy’s attention.