This fully authorised feature-length documentary celebrates the life and work of Sir Ian McKellen. Excerptsfrom a 14 hour interview serves as the basis for the film, covering everything from his upbringing to becoming a theatre star; to coming out and being a leader in the gay rights community; to his film stardom from Magneto to Gandalf; and personal thoughts on everything on acting to old age and death. Private photo albums and a wealth of never-before-seen archive material, including diaries written when he was 12 and unseen behind the scenes footage of theatre shows and films make this an intimate and intriguing journey.

CRITIC REVIEWS FOR MCKELLEN: PLAYING THE PART

• “Eben Bolter's almost expressionist lighting gives the red-chair interviews a theatrical warmth. The editing, like the acting, is impressively off-handed in the recreated scenes, which flip by like quickly turned pages in a book of memories.”- Deborah Young, Hollywood Reporter