Rye Lane, the film that captures the ‘heart and soul’ of Peckham

The UK premiere of the new Searchlight Pictures film Rye Lane was hosted in Peckhamplex in Rye Lane last week ahead of its UK release on Friday.

Attending the event were some of the film’s stars and creators, including Munya Chawawa, producers Damian Jones, Yvonne Isimeme Ibazebo, David Jonsson, Vivian Oparah, director Raine Allen-Miller and writers Tom Melia and Nathan Bryon.

Rye Lane is a romantic comedy set across South London that stars David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah as Yas and Dom.

Rye Lane marks Raine Allen-Miller’s feature directorial debut.

She said: “I always insisted that I would write my first feature film, but when producer Damian Jones sent me the Rye Lane script I gave it a read and embarrassed myself laughing out loud on the train.”

The screenwriters, Nathan Bryon and Tom Melia, initially completed the script in 2018.

Raine said: “I loved the dialogue, but also felt like there was a lot of room to develop the script and add my touch.”

Raine moved from Manchester to South London when she was 12.

Although the film was written to be set in Camden, Raine believed the main character’s background was essential to the authenticity of the film.

She said: “It’s an important part of London for me, but it’s just an important place in general – the history of it, its identity, the multicultural influences.

“Growing up there, going to Nour Cash & Carry with my gran to get seasoning did so much for me and I really wanted to showcase it in a different way.”

The film follows two 20-somethings, both reeling from bad relationship break-ups, who connect over the course of an eventful day in South London – helping each other deal with their nightmare exes, and potentially restoring their faith in romance.

Dom and Yas start to see the place where they’ve always lived through new eyes, brought out especially by the work of Allen-Miller, in collaboration with cinematographer Olan Collardy, production designer Anna Rhodes and costume designer Cynthia Lawrence-John.

Southwark council has released a map of all the locations featured in the film.

Leader of Southwark council, Councillor Kieron Williams, said: “Peckham is the heart and soul of South London and Rye Lane is the heart of Peckham, so it’s wonderful to have so much of that colour and vibrancy captured in this heart-warming film.

“Southwark is fast becoming a global centre for film-making, but few have captured the rich diversity and eclectic spirit of our community in the way that Rye Lane has.”

Rye Lane was developed with the assistance of BBC Film, and funded by Searchlight Pictures, BBC Film and the BFI.

Pictured top: David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah as Yas and Dom in Rye Lane (Picture: Searchlight Pictures)