Black Country Museum to provide backdrop for Barbara Hepworth film

Pre-production is underway on The Sculptress, a new independent movie inspired by the life of Barbara Hepworth, with aspiring film-makers being invited to take a front row seat on set through Facebook Live.

The arthouse film, set in London, Cornwall and Norfolk, traces Barbara's journey from traditional to landmark modern artist, fuelled by her love affair with her muse, the painter Ben Nicholson.

Rising star Cassie Compton is in the title role and seasoned theatre actor Tom Lawrence is Ben Nicholson.

Hepworth made headlines in this newspaper back in 2015 after a battle to get her iconic Rock Form sculpture put back on display in Wolverhampton.

The nine-foot piece, which is worth up to £4 million, was locked away for more than a year after it was removed from its plinth at the Mander Centre back in June 2014 ahead of the centre's multi-million pound revamp.

But it went on show at Wolverhampton Art Gallery in 2015, with bosses guaranteeing it would stay on display at the Lichfield Street gallery for the next two years at least.

Initial shoots were by the sea at Crackington Haven, on Bodmin Moor and at Stockers Farm, Rickmansworth.

Future filming is scheduled later this year for locations in Cornwall, London, Happisburgh in Norfolk and in the authentic period setting of the Black Country Living Museum at Dudley.

Its production is to double as a unique education opportunity for film fans and students who will be able to subscribe to a dedicated Facebook LiveView channel via the Sculptress Kickstarter campaign, launched on February 8. This unique, close-up experience offers the chance to watch and learn from an experienced professional crew.

The film is scheduled for completion and first independent cinema screenings by December 2017, followed by showcases at major film festivals during 2018.