'Hollywood edge': Jackdaw director aims to show north-east England in a new light

Jamie Childs says he tried to bring a 'glamorous aesthetic' to his action thriller and hopes it will inspire more films in the region It is often seen as the backdrop to kitchen-sink dramas and gritty series about working-class communities, but a new film hopes to showcase a different version of north-east England. Jackdaw, an action thriller coming to cinemas on Friday, pushes the envelope of what's been possible stylistically and tonally in the region, according to its writer and director.