Film crews seen in Brighton spark Peaky Blinders rumours

Excited onlookers took to social media to share photographs and videos of actors dressed in period costume filming in Lansdowne Place, Hove.

Actors could be seen leaving Dudley Mansions and surrounding a vintage car while shooting a dramatic scene.

Victoria Summer shooting a scene on Hove beach

Rumours soon started to swirl as to what the filming was for, leading some to assume that production had begun on the Harry Styles movie, My Policeman.

Some even suggested that the cast and crew of BBC hit Peaky Blinders could be in town.

• READ MORE: Victoria Summer stars in Brighton director Elliott Hasler film

But it was later revealed that shooting had resumed on indie film Vindication Swim, which is directed by Brighton-born filmmaker Elliott Hasler.

Filming took place outside Dudley Mansions in Hove

The film tells the true story of Mercedes Gleitze from Brighton who became the first English woman to swim the Channel in 1927.

Director Elliott told The Argus he was “thrilled” to see so much interest in his film.

“There has been a huge buzz around the movie in the last week or so and people have become really, really excited about it which is really great.

Victoria Summer and the cast of Vindication Swim at the Bluebell Railway

“Most of the film is shot around Brighton, Eastbourne, Worthing and a few places in between. The whole production is based here.

“We shot a few scenes in the Brunswick Area and Dudley Mansions was used as a hotel.”

Kirsten Callaghan will play the protagonist while Victoria Summer, who appeared in Saving Mr Banks alongside Tom Hanks, will play Edith Gade, a rival of Mercedes.

Elliott Hasler filming in Hastings

Victoria flew over from Tampa, Florida, to film her scenes in a ten-day filming window after completing a period of self-isolation on her arrival in the UK.

Elliott added: “I had no doubt that she was right for the role and she delivered a great performance which I’m excited for everyone to see when the film finally comes out.”

Work on Vindication Swim has been ongoing for almost three years, after production was shut down as a result of successive Covid lockdowns.

• READ MORE: Brighton boy becomes world's youngest director with new film

But there is still more work to be done before the film is completed.

“There’s a few more scenes to tie up here and there,” Elliott said.

“There’s a few more swimming scenes out at sea to film, so we’ll have to wait until the weather gets a bit warmer to shoot those.

“It will then go to post-production and we need to go out to LA at some point so hopefully the travel corridors will open up so we can get out there to work on the music and sounds.

“I think the film has maybe worked out for the better because of it. We’ve had so much time to be able to get into it and refine our storytelling.

“As fun as it has been, we have been working on it for nearly three years now so it will be good when we can finally show it to audiences.”

Elliott plans to premiere the movie at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022 before it goes on general release.