A NEW film will feature some familiar sights for viewers from Sussex.

Hope Gap will be released this summer with stars Bill Nighy and Annette Bening appearing against a backdrop of Seaford Head.

Recognisable features from the town to feature in the film’s trailer include the railway station, Splash Point, Seven Sisters and Hope Gap – the distinctive area of chalk

cliff between Seaford and Cuckmere Haven after which the film is named.

Hope Gap will be released in the UK on June 12 and was premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6 last year.

The project was announced in October 2017 and principal photography began in July the following year. Soon after, the cast headed down to the South East to start filming.

The exciting film follows the lives of Edward (Love Actually and About Time’s Bill Nighy) and Grace (four-time Oscar nominee Annette Bening).

Nighy’s character makes a shock announcement to his wife of 29 years, saying he wants a divorce, and the film details the impact his decision has on both their lives, as well as that of their son.

He is played by Josh O’Connor who is known for his portrayal of Johnny Saxby, protagonist of the 2017 film God’s Own Country.

The film has been awarded a 7.4 rating by film website IMDb.

But Kevin Maher of The Times panned the feature, giving it one star out of a possible five after viewing it at the London Film Festival.

He said: “A cataclysmic casting decision combined with desperately flabby writing have conspired to transform this high-calibre divorce drama into the dud of the festival so far.”

Its trailer showcases the Sussex coast with stunning panoramic shots of the white cliffs at Seven Sisters and a train shot from above as it approaches Seaford Station.

In one scene, Bening can be seen walking down the grassy hill of Seaford Head with a full view of Newhaven and Seaford Golf Course stretching out in front of her.

It is rumoured that, during shooting, Nighy took a break from the film set and made the short trip west to Brighton.

VIP Pizza in Old Steine has a picture of the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel actor proudly displayed on its wall, though it is not yet known if he visited the venue during filming.