EXCITEMENT will be in the air tonight when Redcar hosts a starstudded premiere of Atonement.

The film, starring Keira Knightley and James McAvoy, will be premiered at the Regent Cinema, on The Esplanade, at 7pm.

Invited guests will be able to view the screening in the venue, which also makes a brief appearance in the film.

Film director Joe Wright will grace the red carpet.

The seaside town was transformed into Forties Dunkirk last August for shooting in the film.

Hundreds of cast and crew arrived in the small town while the seafront was transformed into a bombed-out French beach-head.

Locals watched with interest as crew members constructed artificial buildings, including a bombed-out house and bandstand, and created a seaside hotel.

A thousand extras from across the region were given a shot at fame during three days of the filming. The Regent Cinema, surrounding nature reserve and Corus steelworks also feature in the movie.

The film's world premiere was held at the Venice Film Festival last week and it is being hailed as one of the strongest British films in years.

The scenes that appear to be leaving the biggest impression for those who have already seen it are the war-torn images from Redcar.

Councillor George Dunning, the leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said: "The arrival of Joe Wright and the Atonement film crew last summer was tremendous.

"I would not have believed what they managed to achieve in turning Redcar beach into such a spectacular film set if I had not seen it myself."

Northern Film and Media, the screen agency for the North-East, worked with the council and Working Title Films to arrange the use of Redcar as the location.

Tom Harvey, chief executive of Northern Film and Media, said: "The entire experience of Atonement has been fantastic for Redcar and Cleveland.

"Securing the regional premiere is a great way to celebrate the release of the film, but the event is also a celebration of the hard work and commitment of the local authority and community, who pulled out all of the stops to make this happen."

The red carpet premiere will form the climax of a nostalgic public street celebration on The Esplanade today. A living history camp will launch the event at 11am, with live music whisking visitors back to the Forties.

It will include military displays, live music, a tea party and the official unveiling of Lewis Robinson's sculpture - who has completed a lasting tribute to the film for the town - at 12.30pm.

Mr Wright will then introduce the afternoon screening, which will take place at The Regent Cinema, at 3pm. Tickets are being made available through competitions in libraries, tourist information centres and Kirkleatham Museum.

Coun Dunning said: "It is only right that people from across the borough should be invited to take part in this free event to celebrate the fantastic effort that everyone put into the production and to reap some of the rewards of its release."

A screening for the extras who took part in the film will also take place at Cineworld, in Middlesbrough.

The screening is only for those who took part in the filming of the war scene on Redcar beach.

To attend, call 0207-307-1367 and leave a message with your name and phone number to reserve a seat. You will be required to provide identification at the event.

Extras who reserve a seat should arrive at Cineworld at 4.30pm, for the 5pm showing.

The film will go on general release on Friday.