Newman Documentary Gets Festival Premier

[Neil Vagg]

After the tragic loss of Hollywood hero Paul Newman last week, his last piece of voice over work has been heard by audiences at the Dinard Film Festival in France.

Late in 2007 Newman recorded the narrative track for a wildlife documentary called "The Meerkats" at a studio near his home in Connecticut. Producer Joe Oppenheimer is quoted by BBC News as saying that Newman gave a "wonderful" performance for the film which follows a family of Meerkats as they fight to survival in their native homeland. The film is due for a UK cinema release in the new year and is a co-production between the BBC, The Weinstein Company and Yaffle Films.

Speaking to BBC News the films director, James Honeyborne said of Newman "He gives the film authority and credibility. We wanted a warm, storytelling, around-the-campfire tone, which is just what he gave us."