Award-winning Stansted director Peter Callow films new thriller The Circle: Awakening at Bishop’s Stortford tearoom Archers
Acclaimed Stansted director Peter Callow decided a Bishop’s Stortford tea room was the perfect set for a scene in his latest horror film.
The independent thriller, The Circle: Awakening, is a sequel to his 2017 hit The Circle, which starred comedian Ross Noble.
Deborah Cain, who opened Archers Tea Room & Bistro in South Street with her husband Kevin at the end of 2022, said: “I know Pete’s sister, Dee, from when both worked at Hockerill Anglo-European College some years ago. She knew I’d opened the tea room and brought Pete along for lunch.
“Pete said he felt the tea room was an ideal venue for the café scenes and they asked if we might be interested in being involved in the film. We jumped at the chance.
“It was decided Tuesday September 17 would be ideal as we’re not open that day.
“We were very pleased to be asked to be part of this film. We’ve never been asked to do anything like this before and it was fascinating to see how a film is produced.
“We would certainly do it again. I even had a small speaking role myself as they needed someone as an extra for a quick ‘one line’, which was really exciting,” said Deborah, a former member of Bishop’s Stortford’s Water Lane Theatre Company.
The new film, by Callow Youth Productions, stars Dune: Part 2 and Ted Lasso actress and former Holland’s Next Top Model winner Cecile Sinclair, Silo’s Jasmine Imboden and Sesselia Olafs as Melody Jonsdottir, who is the only survivor from the first film.
The Circle: Awakening tells the story of Laura Williams (Sinclair), who has been housebound, suffering from agoraphobia and parasomnia. Sessions with her psychotherapist unearth frightening memories.
Meanwhile, a murder investigation led by newly appointed Detective Inspector Fiona Carter (Imboden) quickly escalates into a desperate manhunt. A mysterious stranger arrives in the town with her own agenda that leads her to Laura, the murders and beyond.
In the café scene at Archers, Call the Midwife and EastEnders actress Rachel Lumberg plays Laura’s aunt Diane Williams.
Caroline Trowbridge, who appeared in Cardiac Arrest and Peter’s latest film, the multi-award-winning Four O’Clock Flowers, plays Heather Peterson.
The scene is completed by Sean Jones, from Blood Brothers, who plays Dr Ian Peterson and Legacy actor Tony Curl.
Director and producer Peter has been filming at other locations in Bishop’s Stortford, Stansted Mountfitchet, Quendon and Saffron Walden and using local talent as extras.
The Circle tells the story of a professor and four students who go on an archaeological expedition in a forest and is available on Prime Video.
Four O’Clock Flowers, also available on Prime, is set in the aftermath of a violent knife crime and two mothers must face their feelings of loss, guilt and revenge.
Awards include Best Feature from UK Film Festival, Best Actress from British Urban Film Festival, Best Feature at Sydney Women’s International Film Festival and Best Feature at Worcester Film Festival.
