Darkest Hour

How Framestore recreated history in Darkest Hour

Darkest Hour, directed by Joe Wright, is set in 1940, during the early days of Winston Churchill’s first term as Prime Minister. As part of our film week to coincide with the BAFTAs, we talk to Framestore’s Stephane Nazé about how the team brought history to life for the film, from battle scenes to the London dirt and grime.

Darkest Hour has received many plaudits, particularly for its central performance, which sees Gary Oldman take on the role of Winston Churchill in the early years of World War II and at the start of his first term as Prime Minister.

Supporting Oldman, and director Joe Wright, in the creation of the gripping story, was the team at Framestore’s Montreal facility, who collaborated closely with the director to create historically accurate backdrops for 85 shots in the film. This meant working on battle scenes, but also adapting London’s buildings so they had the correct amount of dirt for the era.