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While the leading lady strutted the red carpet at the film's glitzy London premiere last week, a group of Norfolk actresses will be heading to cinemas closer to home to watch their appearances as extras.

However, some of the girls will have to wait until the film is released on DVD as they are too young to attend the movie, which has been given a 15 certificate.

Deadly roles

Young actresses from Norwich's Sandra Reynolds Commercial Model And Casting Agency and DramActive Academy had to play dead in some of the film's most traumatic scenes, set in French battlefields.

The budding actresses had to send off photos of themselves to see if they met the producers' criteria.

The girls feature in a scene filmed at Walpole St Andrew, near King's Lynn, after producers scouted more than 20 locations to find the perfect spot for the WW2 massacre.

Film producers chose parts of the Norfolk and Lincolnshire countryside to record some scenes due to its similarities with the landscape of Dunkirk in northern France.

The girls were filmed for about 45 minutes, lying in a field, for the blockbuster based on University Of East Anglia graduate Ian McEwan's best-selling novel.

"Our make-up was really realistic. It took about three days to get the Vaseline out of my hair!"

Star treatment

The girls spent five hours getting their hair and make-up done in the chilly surroundings of an orchard last August.

"It was absolutely freezing. I was worried that you could see me shaking because I had to lay there for such a long time," said Harriet.

But shooting the scene had its plus points.

"James McAvoy was in our scene so we got to meet him. He is really nice," said India, who is one of those who won't be able to see the film until its reaches DVD.

However, her disappointment at not being able to see her starring moment at the cinema hasn't dented her ambition.

"The day was really good and we had a really nice time. I think I'd like to do acting as a career when I get older," said India.

"We didn't realise the impact of the film because it was very under-played," she said.

"But it's up for some incredible awards and the girls are so proud."

Despite the youngest actress being just 11, Jane said the production crew demanded high standards.

"They were so well behaved and it didn't take long to shoot because they were so professional.

"I'm so proud of them - every one of them," she added.