Steve McQueen summons John Lennon as ‘Blitz’ world premiere in London

Steve McQueen enjoyed the unusual coincidence of celebrating both the world premiere of his latest film and his birthday on Wednesday evening.

“Blitz” – McQueen’s World War II drama starring Saoirse Ronan and young newcomer Elliot Heffernan, set during Nazi Germany’s intense bombing campaign on Britain between 1940 and 1941 – opened the BFI London Film Festival for the second time McQueen did so in his 2018 crime thriller “Widows.” As the credits rolled on the emotional mother-son story, the audience applauded, particularly for Heffernan, while some wiped tears from their eyes.

On stage at the Royal Festival Hall, the filmmaker reflected on the film’s sobering message and gave a shout-out to another creative who shares the same birthday.

“I share a birthday with one of the greatest British artists of all time, John Lennon,” he said. “And right now all I can think of is the song ‘Imagine’ and that’s all we have. We have this option. It’s in our hands. It is possible. So I just want to thank John for this song on your birthday.”

Ronan, meanwhile, spoke about working with Heffernan and recalled how she started her acting career at a similar age. “I think the people I remember most from those early years were the ones who gave me time, who were fun and who were patient with me, not that I ever had to be with Elliot,” she said. “He’s probably a lot more mature than me!”

For Hefferman, who hadn’t acted before “Blitz,” one of the most memorable elements of the “Blitz” production was the artisanal services, “where people make delicious food and you can eat as much as you want.”

In the Apple original film, Oscar nominee Ronan plays Rita, a desperate mother desperately searching for her son George (Heffernan) after sending him from London to the countryside during the Blitz. The cast also includes Harris Dickinson, Erin Kellyman, Stephen Graham, Kathy Burke, Paul Weller, Leigh Gill and Benjamin Clementine.

McQueen wrote, directed and produced “Blitz,” which marks his first feature film since 2018’s “Widows.” The British filmmaker is best known for directing the 2014 film “12 Years a Slave,” which won the Oscar for Best Picture and also earned him a nomination for directing.

At a press conference earlier on Wednesday, Ronan reflected on the film’s relevance amid escalating global conflict.

“What made the film experience so real was that you would shoot certain scenes where there was total chaos and turmoil and we had to portray characters in complete fear and horror, and then you would walk off set and turn on the radio and you hear the exact same thing, and when you turn on the news you see the exact same thing,” she said. “It was the first time I had an experience on a project where there was no real way out.”

“Blitz” premieres in select theaters on November 1st before streaming worldwide on Apple TV+ on November 22nd.