Saoirse Ronan says WW2 movie is 'incredibly relevant' and was filmed in 'warzone'

Saoirse Ronan has called her new World War Two film “incredibly relevant” as it was filmed at a time of global conflict.

The Irish actress spoke with the press ahead of Blitz’s London premiere . Blitz was directed by Sir Steve McQueen and there were high expectations for the project after the success of McQueen's other films 12 Years a Slave, and Hunger, the Bobby Sands movie. The historical drama was mostly filmed in early 2023, about a year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Ronan said: "You’d shoot certain scenes where there's total chaos and pandemonium, and we're portraying characters in abject fear and horror. And then you'd leave set, turn on the radio, and you'd hear exactly the same thing, or put on the news and see exactly the same thing."

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She continued, “It was the first time I'd ever had the experience on a project where there wasn't really an escape from it. I don't know if it's insensitive to say that I was grateful for it, but it gave you so much motivation to continue with the picture, because it does feel incredibly relevant."

In the historical war drama, the Brooklyn actress plays Rita, the mother of a 9-year-old boy in World War II London, who sends her son to the English countryside for safety. George, defiant and determined to return home to his mom (Ronan) and his grandfather Gerald (Paul Weller) in East London, embarks on an adventure, only to find himself in immense peril, while a distraught Rita searches for her missing son.

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The film debuted at London’s Film Festival this week and is already slated for a number of awards. The Telegraph's film critic Robbie Collin awarded the film five stars, saying that it "ranks among the greatest war films ever made."

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