A feature film filmed in Darlington and County Durham is to be screened at a local theatre in the new year.

Give Them Wings is the story of a young man from Darlington who overcame unimaginable hurdles in life, all while becoming a huge fan of Darlington FC.

The film was directed by Sean Cronin and is based on the life of Paul Hodgson who became disabled after contracting meningitis at just ten months old.

The film will be screened at The Hullabaloo, the children's theatre next door to Darlington Hippodrome, on Borough Road, on Saturday, February 18.

The Northern Echo: The Hullabaloo, Borough Road, DarlingtonThe Hullabaloo, Borough Road, Darlington (Image: Google Maps)

Read more: Why Darlington FC fan is releasing book about football team's biggest moments

Paul Hodgson previously told The Northern Echo: Paul said: “It was very eerie watching the film the first time. It’s strange seeing someone playing you and in the more harrowing scenes it was a bit difficult. The actors did a great job though.

“It’s exciting to see it on a big screen. It’s the culmination of a lot of work. Everyone’s hard work has come to fruition, not just me, the whole team. It’s my story but it’s our film. We’ve overcome a lot of hurdles to get to this point.”

Following Paul’s diagnosis, his parents were told he would never move or speak.

The biopic, set in 1989, tells the story of Paul's journey to self-acceptance and the joy that football can bring to people.

The Northern Echo: Toyah Willcox in Give Them WingsToyah Willcox in Give Them Wings (Image: Give Them Wings Ltd)

Read more: Darlington independent feature film screened at Vue Cinema in Leicester Square

Filming locations in Darlington included the bar and grounds of Darlington Football Club and The Foresters Arms in Coatham Mundeville.

Various interior scenes were shot in Bishop Auckland as Paul wanted the film to be as authentic as possible and to have the ‘feel’ of Darlington and its surrounding areas.

The film boasts an impressive cast and stars Toyah Willcox, Middlesbrough-born Coronation Street actor Bill Fellows and Dan Watson, who has recently appeared in Brassed Off at Durham Gala Theatre, plays a young Paul.

The film, based on a book by the same name, has garnered industry recognition and has been screened at Leicester Square, Vue cinema in Darlington, and Tees Valley International Film Festival at the Arc in Stockton.

The film, which was dubbed the next ‘I, Daniel Blake’, by Sean Cronin also won Best British Feature at the London Independent Film Awards in 2021.

Earlier this month, Give Them Wings was selected for The Bright International Film Festival.

To book your ticket, visit: https://www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk/whats-on/Give-Them-Wings, or click here.

The Northern Echo: Bill Fellows in Give Them WingsBill Fellows in Give Them Wings (Image: Give Them Wings Ltd)

Read next:

If you want to read more great stories, why not subscribe to The Northern Echo for as little as £1.25 a week. Click here.