#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER”

In select theaters October 15, 2025 and on Netflix globally October 29, 2025, tiff50 selection BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER gets a new Trailer!

ABOUT BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER
Lord Doyle (Colin Farrell) is laying low in Macau – spending his days and nights on the casino floors, drinking heavily and gambling what little money he has left. Struggling to keep up with his fast-rising debts, he is offered a lifeline by the mysterious Dao Ming (Fala Chen), a casino employee with secrets of her own.

However, in hot pursuit is Cynthia Blithe (Tilda Swinton) – a private investigator ready to confront Doyle with what he is running from. As Doyle tries to climb to salvation, the confines of reality start to close in.

BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER is directed by Edward Berger (All Quiet On The Western Front, Conclave) and stars Colin Farrell, Fala Chen, Deanie Ip, Alex Jennings and Tilda Swinton.

Director: Edward Berger
Writer: Rowan Joffe
Based on the novel: The Ballad of a Small Player by Lawrence Osborne
Producers: Mike Goodridge, Edward Berger, Matthew James Wilkinson
Director of Photography: James Friend
Production Designer: Jonathan Houlding
Make Up & Hair: Heike Merker
Costume: Lisy Christl
Composer: Volker Bertelmann
Editor: Nick Emerson
Starring Colin Farrell, Fala Chen, Deanie Ip, Alex Jennings and Tilda Swinton

#TIFF25: DAY SEVEN HIGHLIGHTS – HAN SO-HEE, FALA CHEN, SHU QI, PARK CHAN-WOOK AND MORE

tiff50 day seven for us was a real showcase of asian cinema, with some of asia’s biggest stars doing the rounds!

some highlights include:

•han so-hee and jun jong-seo at tiff for project y
•lee byung-hun and park chan-wook at an in-conversation
•shu qi at tiff for girl
•fala chen and edward berger at tiff for ballad of a small player

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#TIFF25: “BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER” REVIEW

By Mr. Will Wong

Director Edward Berger is back after a strong showing last awards season with Conclave. This time around, we are doing 180 from the church and going right to the casino.

We meet Lord Freddy Doyle (Colin Farrell), a swindler, running from Detective Cynthia Blithe (Tilda Swinton) as he continues to live above his means, landing at an opulent casino in Macao. Here he meets a hostess named Dao Ming (Fala Chen), who is sympathetic to his vices, and they strike a connection together.

Just as Freddy is about to hit rock bottom, he gets the opportunity to take the biggest gamble of his life, which could mean enough riches to sort him out and repay some debts. But at what cost would this come?

It is impossible not to call out just how beautifully-shot BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER is. Frames are wide and filled with so much detail and hypercolour, capturing how grand Freddy is and wishes to be. Farrell is fantastic, navigating his compulsiveness. Everything feels urgent and we are invested throughout. Certainly among his best performances, in a career which keeps reaching new heights.

BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER screens at TIFF ’25 as follows:

Tuesday, September 9
VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre
Premium
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
3:30 pm

Wednesday, September 10
VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
2:30 pm

Saturday, September 13
TIFF Lightbox
Closed captions (CC),
Audio description (AD)
9:30 am
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#TIFF25: DAY SIX SIGHTINGS – COLIN FARRELL, JODIE FOSTER, FALA CHEN, SHU QI, MATT JOHNSON, JAY MCCARROL AND MORE

it’s a bittersweet feeling as we near the half-way point of tiff50. but we are thrilled that we finally get a chance to see some films, which is always what has made this festival so special for us! make no mistake though, there are still some very notable names in-town!

some day six sightings:

•shu qi (pronounced “shoo chee”) at tiff for girl

•rebecca zlotowski and jodie foster at tiff for a private life

•colin farrell and fala chen at tiff for ballad of a small player

•plus a day four flashback with matt johnson and jay mccarrol of nirvanna the band the show the movie

highlights here:

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