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.
At 75, Gabriel Byrne remains one of Ireland`s most powerful voices—both on screen and off.
Fresh from Cork`s International Film Festival and 30 years since THE USUAL SUSPECTS, the legendary actor sat down on THE LATE LATE SHOW to deliver something extraordinary: a rallying cry for Irish culture itself.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
From GLADIATOR II`s arena to the quiet forests of Maine collecting folk songs on wax cylinders—Paul Mescal`s latest role in THE HISTORY OF SOUND might be his most vulnerable yet.
Now on @amazonprime, the film follows Lionel, a shy musician from a Kentucky farm in the 1910s, who meets David White (Josh O`Connor) at the New England Conservatory.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
For more than two decades, Domhnall Gleeson has carved out one of the most diverse and compelling careers in contemporary cinema.
Watch Domhnall break down his career in his latest @esquire interview!
Link in bio ❤️
Adapted from Louise Kennedy`s bestselling novel, TRESPASSES stars Gillian Anderson as executive producer and cast member.
Kennedy praises the "ear-perfect, sexy script" and "gorgeously melancholic aesthetic vision" that brings her Women`s Prize-shortlisted novel to life.
Premieres Sunday 9pm on Channel 4, more at irishfilmtv.com.
THE IRIS AFFAIR is a high-stakes chase thriller that turns Italy into a deadly playground where genius meets danger.
Created by LUTHER mastermind Neil Cross, this Sky Original delivers cinematic tension where trust is fatal and every move could be your last. Two minds. One secret. No escape.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
** NEW TRAILER ALERT **
Roadside Attractions has unveiled the first trailer for H IS FOR HAWK, and it`s breathtaking. Brendan Gleeson appears as the father whose absence shapes everything, bringing his signature depth to a role that haunts the entire film.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
🎬 HAMNET has officially overtaken Paul Thomas Anderson`s ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER as the Oscar frontrunner!
Chloé Zhao`s Shakespeare-inspired drama now leads with a 96.8% chance of nomination, fueled by its Telluride buzz and Toronto People`s Choice win.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
The DERRY GIRLS creator is back with HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN FROM BELFAST — and it`s the show Lisa McGee says she`s always wanted to make. 🍀
Three childhood friends. One mysterious death. A wake that goes sideways. Eight episodes of chaos, secrets, and arguments about eyelash extensions.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Pierce Brosnan trades his 007 tuxedo for raw, devastating drama in CURTAIN CALL—arriving on digital November 10.
Starring opposite Jessica Lange, Brosnan continues his brilliant pivot from action hero to serious character actor, exploring the heartbreaking reality of dementia in the theatre world.
Watch trailer on irishfilmtv.com.
Colin Farrell`s latest is dividing audiences, but everyone agrees on one thing: his performance is absolutely magnetic ✨
The Oscar-nominated Irish actor stars as Lord Doyle, a spiraling gambler in neon-soaked Macao searching for redemption.
Don`t miss Farrell at his destructive best, now on @netflix!
Daniel Day-Lewis is BACK and we`re not ready for how devastating ANEMONE is 😭
After 7 years away from the screen, Day-Lewis returns in this quiet Irish masterpiece directed by his son Ronan. It`s not a flashy comeback—it`s something far more powerful. A meditation on isolation, guilt, and the human connections we can`t outrun, no matter how far we go.
ANEMONE is now on Prime!
Barry Keoghan goes blonde and badass for CRIME 101! 🎬
The Irish star trades blows with Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo in this high-stakes crime thriller, playing Orman, a thief whose methods are as disturbing as they are effective. With Detective Lou Lubesnick (Ruffalo) closing in and rival criminal Davis (Hemsworth) in his way, this heist is about to get messy.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
When Colin Farrell had to choose between a guaranteed paycheck on a hit TV show and a one-in-a-million shot at Hollywood, everyone told him he was insane. His friends said don`t do it. His family couldn`t understand it. He did it anyway.
Now in BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER (in select UK/Ireland cinemas Oct 17, Netflix Oct 29), he plays a man who understands risk better than anyone. Because Farrell`s been there. He bet everything on himself when he had nothing, and that decision changed everything.
Sometimes the craziest move is the only one worth making. 🎬
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Andrew Scott`s hot streak continues 🔥
From the Hot Priest in FLEABAG to his heartbreaking turn in ALL OF US STRANGERS, he`s now bringing that signature intensity to BLUE MOON as composer Richard Rodgers.
The film hits theaters Friday, more at irishfilmtv.com.
Michael Fassbender is trading the big screen for Netflix royalty!
The Irish-German powerhouse is set to play Joe Kennedy Sr. in KENNEDY, an 8-episode drama diving deep into America`s most mythologized family. No release date yet, but with Fassbender leading, this one`s already on our watchlist. 👑
More at irishfilmtv.com.
