If nothing else, this one’s got some serious visual style.
Berger has a new film in the can, premiering at the Telluride Film Festival. It’s called “The Ballad of a Small Player," and stars Colin Farrell. Based on Lawrence Osborne’s novel, Rowan Joffe adapted it into a screenplay. A first trailer has just been released by Netflix. The film hits limited theaters on October 15, and that’s two weeks before its October 29 Netflix debut.
Here’s the synopsis:
The story follows a high-stakes gambler who decides to lay low in Macau after his past and debts catch up with him. Along the way he encounters a kindred spirit who might just hold the key to his salvation.
Joining Farrell in the cast are Tilda Swinton, Fala Chen, Deannie Yip, and Alex Jennings. Netflix recently confirmed a theatrical roll-out, ahead of streaming, dating the film for a limited two-week engagement on October 15.
Sadly, Stéphane Fontaine, who did visual miracles on ‘Conclave,” isn’t lensing this one. Instead, Berger has tasked his Oscar-winning ‘Western Front’ DP James Friend for the job. As can be seen in the trailer, there will be lots of flashy shots in ‘Ballad’ — highly stylized filmmaking forthcoming, lots of vibrant colors and dark tones.
Berger is coming off last year’s “Conclave,” earned eight Oscar nominations, and won Best Adapted Screenplay. Both films were Best Picture nominated. His big breakout was the WWI epic “All Quiet on the Western Front” which earned nine Oscar noms, winning four categories, including Best International Film.
Before he became one of Hollywood’s hottest directors, sought out for IP such as Bond, Ocean’s 11, and Bourne, Berger’s career had been defined by a quieter, more intimate slate of projects. In 2019, he helmed “All My Loving,” a modest German drama that slipped under most radars. His other works included “Jack” (2014) and “A Good Summer” (2012), a little-seen TV movie
