My Name is Leon: Sir Lenny Henry at Birmingham film launch

Sir Lenny Henry appeared on the red carpet in Birmingham for the launch of a film about a boy who tries to reunite his family amid the backdrop of riots.

Based on Kit de Waal's novel, My Name is Leon tells the story of a mixed race nine-year-old who is separated from his white baby brother in the care system.

The BBC launch event happened at IET Birmingham's Austin Court on Tuesday.

Sir Lenny said: "There was a real sense that this needed to be filmed where it took place."

The 1980s race riots unfolded in Handsworth and Lozells as tensions over allegations of police brutality and institutional racism boiled over.

After Leon and his brother Jake's mother has a breakdown and the boys are separated, Leon tries to reunite his family in 1980s Moseley.

Leon, played by Cole Martin, is determined to find Jake and gets unexpected support along the way.

"This particular story about this boy, who is nine years old and is separated from his little brother because they are different colours, is very, very moving," Sir Lenny said.

Ms de Waal, who grew up in Moseley and was at the launch event, said it was "so right and apt that it was filmed where it was envisioned".

The event was hosted by BBC Radio WM's Nikki Tapper and included a preview of clips from the film and a panel discussion with Sir Lenny, de Waal and director Lynette Linton.

Taking to social media after the preview, Sir Lenny, who plays Mr Johnson, tweeted: "Cole Martin is a proper talent. So lovely to spend time with him yesterday."

Other stars of the film include Malachi Kirby, Monica Dolan, Olivia Williams, Christopher Eccleston, Poppy Lee Friar and Shobna Gulati.

"Every author who has their work adapted, you hope it is faithful, you hope it turns out how you imagined it and it absolutely has been a dream team," de Waal said.

Sir Lenny, who previously voiced the audiobook of My Name is Leon, added: "Kit's writing is so vivid and pictorial, when I was doing the audiobook I could see the characters in my head.

"I rang my office and said 'we've got to do something with this' and six years later, here we are."

The film will be aired on BBC Two on Friday at 21:00 BST and can be watched on BBC iPlayer.

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