Features

A thriller about Russian gangsters in the capital has opened the 51st London Film Festival.

Eastern Promises stars Naomi Watts as a midwife whose life becomes intertwined with co-star Viggo Mortensen's criminal organisation.

The film was shot in its entirety in London, using locations in Kilburn and Harlesden as well as a hairdresser's salon in Hackney and a Rotherhithe burger bar.

Watts and director David Cronenberg joined members of the cast and crew on the red carpet outside the Odeon Leicester Square ahead of the film's Gala presentation.

"It's a whole world I hadn't seen before," Ms Watts told our Entertainment correspondent Brenda Emmanus, referring to the film's east London locations.

"very flattering"

The star revealed that she knows and has lived in the capital at various times in her life.

Viggo Mortensen and Naomi Watts

"The way David [Cronenberg] shoots it, it becomes intense and exotic. Most of the time people want to see glorious architecture and sights, but these are the more moody and in some ways grimmer parts of London," she continued.

Asked how she felt about being part of the festival's opening night, she said, "It's great. I'm chuffed. It's very flattering to be invited here."

Use the video link at the top of the page to hear the interview in full, preceded by a tour of some of the locations used in Eastern Promises with film location manager David Broder.

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