Art World Steven Spielberg Is Planning a Film Shoot Six Miles From Stonehenge—But Conservationists Are Worried About Damaging the Site

ARTNET NEWS
By Javier Pes

Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, is the most architecturally sophisticated prehistoric stone circle in the world. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

A World War I epic produced by Steven Spielberg that filmmakers hope to shoot just six miles away from Stonehenge is meeting resistance from conservationists. Producers of the film, titled 1917 and directed by Sam Mendes, have asked to shoot for several weeks on Salisbury Plain, which archaeologists say could damage prehistoric sites that await discovery. Details of the movie are under wraps, but planning documents reveal that the shoot will involve a cast and crew of hundreds and a large-scale set built on land owned by the Ministry of Defence, which has given the production its blessing. Although Stonehenge is miles away, archaeologists say the site must be properly checked before building begins. David Dawson, the director of the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society, which has raised concerns about the film set, tells artnet News that he was surprised to read a headline in the Daily Mail about a “battle” raging over Stonehenge. [More]