A childhood spent in wartime, a pioneer of theatre, a leader for equality.

Ian McKellen's life - in private, on stage, and on screen - is truly one to inspire; a new live cinema event held at the BFI Southbank in London and broadcast into cinemas across the country will see the actor in attendance in a celebration of his contributions.

The event will see the UK premiere of McKellen: Playing the Part, directed by Joe Stephenson, which builds itself around a 14-hour interview with the screen icon, from his early days working through repertory and West End theatre to his mainstream hits as Magneto and Gandalf.

The film also has unprecedented access to private photo albums, never-before-seen archive material, including diaries written when he was 12, unseen behind the scenes of theatre shows and films, alongside his personal reflection.

The likes of Luke Evans, Frances Barber, Adam Brown, Scott Chambers, Milo Parker and Edward Petherbridge also pitch in for a few dramatic recreations.

"Ian was sceptical all along the way as to whether his life was interesting enough, and whether there was an audience out there interested enough," Stephenson said of the film.

"Time will tell, but learning about his life on this level has only made me more inspired and more grateful to be able to call him a friend. It has been an honour to be trusted with his story, and I hope audiences enjoy his journey as much as I have enjoyed discovering it."

McKellen: Playing the Part will have its UK Premiere Screening + Q&A with Ian McKellen, hosted by Graham Norton, at London's BFI Southbank on 27 May at 3pm. The event will be broadcast live into cinemas across the UK. Tickets are available to purchase here.