Edward Berger doesn’t make small movies. The Austrian filmmaker has carved out a reputation for creating visually stunning, emotionally complex films that demand attention from both audiences and awards voters. His last film, CONCLAVE, swept through award season like a papal decree, claiming the SAG ensemble award (essentially their best picture), the BAFTA for Best Film, and eight Oscar nominations including a win for Best Adapted Screenplay. Before that, his haunting war epic ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT captured the Oscar for Best International Feature Film. The Academy knows Berger’s name, and when a filmmaker of his caliber releases new work, the industry takes notice.
Enter BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER, Berger’s latest venture that trades Vatican corridors and WWI trenches for the neon-soaked gambling dens of Macau. The first trailer, released this week, reveals a filmmaker stretching his visual muscles in entirely new directions. From the battlefield to the Vatican and now to the casino floor, Berger demonstrates an almost chameleon-like ability to adapt his aesthetic to serve story. If you’ve witnessed the breathtaking umbrella scene in CONCLAVE or the mud-caked horror of ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, you understand that Berger doesn’t just make films—he crafts visual experiences that linger long after the credits roll.
The casting feels equally deliberate and inspired. Colin Farrell leads as the titular small player, riding high on a career renaissance that shows no signs of slowing. Fresh off his Golden Globe and SAG wins for THE PENGUIN, and positioned as an Emmy frontrunner, Farrell appears to be in the midst of a creative hot streak that’s seen him take increasingly bold professional swings over the past five years. The trailer suggests he’s bringing that same fearless energy to Berger’s character study, diving deep into what promises to be another transformative performance. With Kogonada’s A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY also arriving this September, this fall could serve as Farrell’s personal talent showcase.
Supporting him is Oscar winner Tilda Swinton, whose mere presence elevates any project, and Hong Kong legend Deanie Ip, who made history in 2011 as the first Hong Kong actor to win the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at Venice for A SIMPLE LIFE. It’s a cast that signals serious artistic ambition while honoring the cultural specificity of the story’s setting.
That setting—Macau, often called the Vegas of the East—represents more than just exotic backdrop. Working alongside world-class cinematographer James Friend, Berger appears to have crafted what the trailer suggests is a sensory feast that captures both the glamour and the underlying desperation of high-stakes gambling culture. The visuals promise the kind of sensory overload that mirrors the addictive rush of the casino floor, where fortunes change with each roll of the dice and every hand dealt.
There’s something particularly compelling about watching a Western filmmaker of Berger’s caliber interpret this distinctly Eastern gambling mecca through his lens. The film represents a fascinating cultural exchange, a character study that could offer fresh perspectives on themes of addiction, chance, and human nature against a backdrop rarely given such serious cinematic treatment by international auteurs.
The film’s Canadian premiere at TIFF strongly suggests a Telluride debut, which traditionally serves as the launching pad for serious awards contenders. Given Berger’s track record, Farrell’s current momentum, and the film’s apparent visual ambition, BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER could emerge as this fall’s dark horse in the awards conversation. Sometimes the biggest gambles pay off the most handsomely, and Berger seems to understand that better than most. We’ll know very soon whether his latest bet hits the jackpot.
Brendan Gleeson is bringing all the feels in H IS FOR HAWK 🎬🦅
Playing the beloved father in this beautiful 2025 drama based on Helen Macdonald`s bestselling memoir, Gleeson delivers a performance that`s both tender and powerful.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Netflix`s BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER has an amazing new trailer!
Colin Farrell plays an Irish fugitive hiding in Macau`s neon underworld as "Lord Doyle," gambling desperately to outrun his past.
The film opens in theaters Oct. 15 and starts streaming Oct. 29 on Netflix.
Watch now via link in bio.
Saoirse Ronan is heading back to the `60s! 🎸
The four-time Oscar nominee is reportedly set to play Linda McCartney in Sam Mendes` wildly ambitious THE BEATLES project—four separate films, each following a different Beatle.
She`ll star opposite Paul Mescal (her FOE co-star) as Paul McCartney, with Barry Keoghan as Ringo, Joseph Quinn as George, and Harris Dickinson as John.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Cillian Murphy just confirmed THE IMMORTAL MAN drops in 2026 and Tommy Shelby is coming back with a vengeance. 🔥
Fresh off STEVE hitting Netflix, Murphy spilled the tea on The Graham Norton Show that the Peaky Blinders film has wrapped.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
Graham Norton isn`t going anywhere!
The BBC has locked in three more series of THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW - with 2.9 million viewers tuning in and clips going viral weekly, Norton continues to prove why he`s the gold standard for celebrity interviews.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Cillian Murphy isn`t chasing blockbusters—he`s back in the classroom.
The Irish actor`s latest role in Netflix`s STEVE sees him playing a struggling teacher at a last-chance reform school, proving once again that he`s more interested in transformation than validation.
Watch Cillian`s TODAY interview via link in bio.
🖤⚡️ JESSIE BUCKLEY IS COMING BACK TO LIFE! ⚡️🖤
Ireland`s Irish powerhouse transforms into a Gaga-esque flapper brought back to life as the companion of Christian Bale`s creature in Maggie Gyllenhaal`s electrifying new take on THE BRIDE!
New trailer at irishfilmtv.com.
🌟 From THE WITCHER to DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS to EVERYTHING NOW.
Dublin`s @niamhhmccormack_ has been quietly building one of the most impressive portfolios in Irish acting.
Don`t miss her in HOUSE OF GUINNESS, now streaming on @netflix.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🌊 When Oscar-nominated Stephen Rea (THE CRYING GAME, MICHAEL COLLINS, V FOR VENDETTA) lends his legendary voice to a haunting tale of shipwreck and survival, you know something magical is about to happen.
📍 @irishculturalcentre, Hammersmith
🗓️ November 8-9 ONLY
🎭 Don`t miss this exclusive London run!
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🎬 Cillian Murphy is absolutely unstoppable right now!
Three incredible performances in a row: Oscar winner OPPENHEIMER ✨ SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE 💫 and now STEVE - a powerhouse drama about a school headteacher fighting his own demons while saving troubled kids.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
THE WEIR is haunting London`s Harold Pinter Theatre until 6 Dec, and it`s pure magic. Brendan Gleeson makes his West End debut alongside an incredible cast in Conor McPherson`s modern masterpiece - with the playwright himself directing for the first time!
"It`s already a classic in the canon of world theatre," says Seán McGinley, and honestly? We believe him. Sometimes the most powerful stories happen over a pint, in the space between words, where kindness becomes community.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🏆 IRISH TALENT TAKES TORONTO!
Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal just won BIG at TIFF with HAMNET - snagging the People`s Choice Award that`s basically an Oscar crystal ball ✨
More at irishfilmtv.com.
From strolling London`s Highbury Fields to stepping into Paul McCartney`s shoes 🎸✨
Paul Mescal is living proof that staying grounded while reaching for the stars isn`t just possible—it`s the secret sauce. Fresh off HAMNET and deep in rehearsals for Sam Mendes` Beatles biopics, this Irish charmer is redefining what it means to be a modern movie star.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🔥 When Margot Robbie had a "suspicion" her chemistry with Colin Farrell would work in A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY... she was absolutely right! ✨
These two icons dive into Kogonada`s A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY where strangers Sarah and David rent mysterious cars that transport them through doorways to their childhood memories. Talk about a wild ride! 🚗💫
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Paul Mescal and Josh O`Connor playing LIE vs LIE is the chaotic energy we didn`t know we needed 😂
These THE HISTORY OF SOUND co-stars swap outrageous stories, questionable audition tales, and awkward fan encounters—and honestly, we can`t tell what`s real anymore 🤷♀️
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
