Press room

Friday 25 October: Apple Original Film’s BLITZ costume exhibition will be unveiled today at Barbican Centre London in celebration of the film being released in cinemas on 1 November and on Apple TV+ on 22 November. BLITZis directed, produced and written by Academy Award and BAFTA winner Steve McQueen. The exhibition will be free to access and include original costumes as worn in the film by Saoirse Ronan, Elliott Heffernan and Paul Weller.

The costumes have been designed by Academy Award and BAFTA winning costume designer Jacqueline Durran. The display will be located on Level G Foyer, Barbican Center between Fri 25 Oct – Fri 22 Nov. 

Steve McQueen’s BLITZ follows the epic journey of George (Elliott Heffernan), a 9-year-old boy in World War II London, whose mother Rita (Saoirse Ronan) sends him to safety in the English countryside. George, defiant and determined to return home to Rita 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. 

Written and directed by Academy and BAFTA Award-winning Sir Steve McQueen, the film stars Academy and BAFTA Award-nominee Saoirse Ronan and newcomer Elliott Heffernan, with Harris Dickinson, Benjamin Clementine, Kathy Burke, Paul Weller, Stephen Graham, Leigh Gill, Mica Ricketts, CJ Beckford, Alex Jennings, Joshua McGuire, Hayley Squires, Erin Kellyman and Sally Messham rounding out the cast.

Alex Davidson, Acting Head of Barbican Cinema says: 

“We are excited to be partnering with Apple Original Film to host this exhibition of the costumes of BLITZ. It’s fantastic to showcase Jacqueline’s talent with these stylish wartime costumes that bring the film to life. BLITZ portrays a vibrant and diverse World War II London as we’ve rarely seen before onscreen and we’re also delighted to present a special preview of the film and ScreenTalk with director Steve McQueen, ahead of its general release in November.”

In addition to the costume display, the Barbican will also host an exclusive preview of BLITZ + ScreenTalk with writer/director Steve McQueen on Thu 31 Oct in Cinema 1. The Barbican is one of a few selected Cinemas in the UK to be screening the film from Fri 1 Nov, before its general release on Fri 8 Nov and then streams on Apple TV+ from Fri 22 Nov.