Trinity Works Entertainment and Sigma Films present, in association with Creative Scotland and Telefilm Canada

A Film by Robert Carlyle

Starring

Robert Carlyle, Emma Thompson, Ray Winstone

Contact: Donnah Kosman – donnah.kosman@pinnaclefilms.com.au

Barney Thomson is a taciturn anti-hero who has fallen from grace in his meager barbering life. Close to losing his job, Barney comically falls into the unthinkable role of a serial killer. As he sweats out his predicament, he clumsily tries to cover his tracks as Detective Inspector Holdall is hot on his trail, Barney’s mother Cemolina cheerfully emasculates her son, setting off a bloody chain of events.

A surreal version of Glasgow set in no particular era, with the texture of old world boxers, time warped fun fairs, and a smoke filled barber shop at its core, The Legend of Barney Thomson takes place amidst panic over the city’s crime of the century. A serial killer is on the loose, jauntily boxing up his victims’ body parts and mailing them to their families. The police, led by woeful Detective Inspector Holdall (Ray Winstone), can’t seem to get a handle on the murders.

Barbershop chatter about the killings and considerable disrespect give Barney Thomson (Robert Carlyle), a hapless Scottish barber, vengeful ideas he knows he’ll never go through with. Barney is the kind of guy who just can’t seem to get himself back on top amongst the manly men and the chipper small talkers on the rougher side of town. Demoted and belittled by his co-workers, Barney seethes and schemes impotently until he inadvertently and very literally stumbles into murder. Unwittingly, his first accidental kill of a fellow barber saves his skin at the shop and he clumsily tries to cover his tracks. But, his formidable mother Cemolina (Emma Thompson) cheerfully emasculates him further, causing a bloody, albeit comedic chain of events to unfold. And of the pair, only she’s got the stones to clean up the mess.

Hiding bodies badly, navigating old ladies and dog tracks, and haunted by Charlie (Brian Pettifer), the local hang about who’s on to him, Barney’s paranoia nearly does him in. Meanwhile, Inspector Holdall is still the smartest bloke in the room. Unfortunately, no one else seems to notice. Just inches away from finding Glasgow’s notorious postal butcher, he’s trumped at every turn. Mirroring Barney’s frustrated life, Holdall is forced to take a back seat to his adversary, Detective Inspector Robertson (Ashley Jensen) who just happens to be a dick. But Holdall can’t seem to reconcile the methodical serial killer on the loose with the woebegone little barber. His instincts about Barney keep him on the trail, against his Chief Superintendant’s (Sir Tom Courtenay) direct orders.

In too deep to quit, Barney’s sanity unravels. He accidentally kills another barber, drawing even more suspicion on himself. With his mother offering no help with the second body he has to dump, Barney discovers who the true serial killer is: his mother! When he accuses her of being the notorious serial killer, she browbeats him to the point of giving herself a heart attack.

Now alone in the world and trying to keep both of their secret lives of crime from the police, Barney is pursued to the Highlands by Holdall and his fellow police detectives. However, in an absurd twist of fate, a shootout unfolds amongst the police and Barney manages to get away with murder.

In 2010, Trinity Works Entertainment producing partners John G. Lenic and Kaleena Kiff read a screen adaptation of Douglas Lindsay’s Scottish novel The Long Midnight of Barney Thomson by Richard Cowan, a Canadian writer. And what a story it told. It was edgy, dark, and absolutely hilarious, with its gallows humor and Scottish sensibility. Immediately, Lenic and Kiff turned to the perfect man for the role of "Barney": Robert Carlyle. As a BAFTA winning actor, Carlyle is known for pushing the boundaries of character, while as a theater director he has won multiple awards for his brave reinvention of time-honored stories including Macbeth. Both Lenic and Kiff had worked with Carlyle previously on a television series and felt that he was beyond ready to bring his directorial vision to film. The novel had been optioned two times previously and Carlyle had been approached to star as Barney before, but the material hadn’t quite resonated enough with Carlyle to warrant his commitment. But Cowan’s adaptation proved different. With a push from Kiff and Lenic to read this version with an eye to both starring and directing, Carlyle was in.

Carlyle soon became passionate about bringing this truly Scottish story to the screen. Carlyle, Lenic, Kiff, and Cowan began developing the script in early 2011. When the script needed to take the next step and get back to its Scottish roots, Kiff flew to Glasgow in 2012 to connect with future producing partners at Sigma Films and to scout Glasgow’s rougher neighborhoods with Carlyle. After scouting the city, they settled on Bridgeton Cross in the East End, the very location where the film was eventually set. As a cast of real life characters followed favorite son Carlyle around the East End during those scouts, his director’s eye was already imagining Barney Thomson’s world. It was clear that he would be welcomed home and that the memories of his Glasgow childhood would infuse the script with an authenticity and celebrate Glasgow as a character in her own right. It was at this point that the BAFTA winning Scottish screenwriter Colin McLaren was brought on board to help elevate the material from the compelling source novel and Cowan’s original screenplay to a cinematic story worthy of a world-class cast.

Barney Thomson is a character-based film, so once the script was ready, it was time to find a brave actress to play Barney’s larger-than-life mother Cemolina. The director was convinced that only one British actress could truly do the imposing character justice: Emma Thompson. Yes, the two-time Academy Award winning Emma Thompson. Her comedic sensibilities and her appetite for challenge made her the perfect, albeit surprising choice. Now Carlyle didn’t know Ms. Thompson personally, so along with the script, in the autumn of 2013, he sent her a handwritten note and artwork inspired by the story. Just three days after receiving the script, Ms. Thompson, citing the script’s description of Barney as a “haunted tree”, said, “well we just have to make this film”.

Emma Thompson is a mere two years older than Carlyle, so performing as his mother was going to take a crack team to make her Cemolina convincing for both audiences and the actors playing the characters. Producer John G. Lenic had the bold idea of recruiting two-time Academy Award winning prosthetic make up artist Mark Coulier to help age Ms. Thompson by twenty years. Miraculously, the wildly talented Coulier, who had created Harry Potter villain Valdemort and Meryl Streep’s Iron Lady, was more than game. Additionally, the artist was thrilled to create the dead body parts that feature heavily in the script’s dark but comedic moments. Just having come off his success with aging Tilda Swinton by 40 years on the Grand Budapest Hotel, Coulier and his team were experts at aging make up, so a prosthetic head cast was set for Ms. Thompson in April of 2014. Now, the producers just had to put all of the other pieces together to meet that deadline.

Recognizable actors who are well beyond the reach of most indie films were quick to sign onto the film in order to work with Carlyle as a director, speaking to both the strength of the story and to Carlyle himself. To play Barney’s nemesis, Detective Inspector Holdall, Carlyle turned to his dear friend, beloved actor Ray Winstone. With a career history of playing hard-boiled characters in films like Sexy Beast, Winstone brought an intimidating yet comedic tone to his turn as the beleaguered detective on Barney’s trail. Behind the scenes, Winstone and Carlyle kept each other laughing while sharing great stories with the younger cast members including Kevin Guthrie (Sunset Song).

To play one of the more over the top roles in the film, Chief Inspector McManaman, Carlyle reached out to one of his acting heroes, Sir Tom Courtenay. The Academy Award nominee, BAFTA winner, and true great of London theater, Courtenay brought his wry sense of humor to the role. To honor his contribution to the film, Carlyle and the designer Ross Dempster filled his character’s office with references to Courtenay’s hometown of Hull, England. Shooting Courtenay’s scenes at the beginning of the schedule set a loose but efficient tone for the rest of the shoot.

Filling out the cast, the film attracted a pantheon of beloved Scottish actors, including Brian Pettifer (Amadeus), Ashley Jensen (BBC/HBO’s Extras), James Cosmo (Game of Thrones, Braveheart), Martin Compston (Filth, Damned United). Shooting in Glasgow on a decidedly Scottish film was a treat for these actors who usually must travel far afield for work.

The first crew hire was Production Designer Ross Dempster, who kept the film’s visual storytelling honest to the Carlyle’s original vision of a colorful, almost retro Glasgow. Before working with Lenic on the television program Motive, Dempster cut his teeth as art director on epic films including Godzilla and 2012. He set a high aesthetic benchmark for the The Legend of Barney Thomson from which the team never deviated, even when faced with the tiny tenement apartments of Glasgow. With the support of Scottish-based Sigma Films producer Brian Coffey, the Canadian producing team of Kiff & Lenic, and now Holly Brydson, landed in Glasgow to scout in earnest while Carlyle was wrapping up his role on the Vancouver-based ABC television show Once Upon a Time.

The director’s desire to celebrate Glasgow as another character in the film led Dempster and the producing team to seek out locations that represented the city’s history and unique qualities. In the city’s elegant downtown, the film’s police station was housed in an imposing sandstone building that was once the site of civil marriages and birth registries and now stands abandonned. The Barrowlands Ballroom, home to many legendary live music events, stood in for Cemolina’s bingo hall, while the surrounding neighborhood known as The Barras, was the backdrop to many scenes in the movie. The film’s dog races were shot at a working dog track, Shawfield’s, a place Carlyle and his own father frequented in the former’s youth. Additional locations adding realism to the film include the Red Road tower block, though much of what’s left of this infamous area is rubble. Though it was slated to be demolished just after filming, Cemolina’s apartment was played by one of the old Lincoln Road towers, adding even more texture to the film. Finally, Bridgeton Cross was the heart of the film, its bandstand and historic buildings lending the perfect authenticity to Barney’s small life. All the departments, from design to camera to locations, worked tirelessly to flesh out details of the only city where this story could be told.

Citing inspiration from the Coen brothers’s film Fargo as his touchstone, Carlyle created a neo-noir, timeless experience for audiences. With Link Wray’s spare guitar playing in the background as he prepped, Carlyle built a stylized world with graphic lines repeated in his frames and static wide shots for characters to move in and out of. Cinematographer Fabian Wagner, of Sherlock and Game of Thrones fame, brought a youthful courage to the noir tone. Even with a tight schedule, Wagner was able to deliver the graphic sensibility and moody lighting that the director and producers had always aimed to achieve. This in-between-eras Glasgow gives the film a topsy-turvy quality as the protagonist grows progressively more paranoid.

With Carlyle pulling double duty as both director and lead actor, a plan of attack was needed to allow him to maintain balance. In a bout of foresight, Carlyle conceived of hiring a recent drama school graduate to work as his stand-in. Similar in size and shape to Carlyle, Mark Barrett stood in for Carlyle during blockings with the other actors and the crew so that Carlyle could maintain his perspective as director until the cameras rolled. Wearing a wig and “Barney’s” costume, Mark prepared a performance for each scene so his fellow actors could rehearse with “Barney” while Carlyle watched from behind the monitor. When the cameras rolled, Carlyle would step onto set and into character, lending a freshness to the scene, but also the comfort of preparation. With his faith in his DOP and his producers’ eyes, Carlyle was adept at navigating the challenging task of both acting and directing.

The Legend of Barney Thomson is unique in setting, rich in character, and long on suspense and style. It has a sense of black comedy all its own. Carlyle never wavered from his neo-noir vision and allowed his team to support him in his directing debut. The film promises to be a defiantly memorable experience.

CAST BIOGRAPHIES
BARNEY THOMSON - ROBERT CARLYLE

Robert worked as a painter and decorator from the age of 16 to 21. He then decided to pursue his acting ambitions and attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama from 1983-86.

Since then he has experienced much success in theatre, film and television being nominated for 14 awards including an Emmy nomination (“Human Trafficking” 2005) a National BAFTA nomination (“Looking After JoJo” 1998) and 2 BAFTA Scotland nominations (“Trainspotting” 1996 and “Summer” 2008) and winning another 11 major awards including an RTS award (“Hamish MacBeth” 1998) an Evening Standard Award (“Face,” “Carla's Song” 1997) a SAG award (“Full Monty” 1998) two BAFTA Scotland awards (“Cracker” 1993 and “The Unloved” 2009) and a National BAFTA award (“Full Monty” 1998).

In recent years Robert has gained success in a number of films including “Summer” for which he received the Best Actor award at the EIFF and also “California Solo” for which he gained the Woodsock Film Festival award for Best Actor in 2011. For the past few years he has been working for ABC Television as Rumplestiltskin in it's smash hit series “Once Upon A Time.”

Robert makes his feature film directorial debut with The Legend of Barney Thompson.  In addition he directed for the stage with his company Rain Dog from 1988 – 1994.
CEMOLINA THOMSON – EMMA THOMPSON

Emma Thompson is one of the world’s most respected talents for her versatility in acting as well as screenwriting.  She is the sole artist thus far to have received an Academy Award for both acting and screenwriting.

In 1992, Thompson caused a sensation with her portrayal of Margaret Schlegel in the Merchant-Ivory adaptation of E.M. Forster’s Howards End.  Sweeping the Best Actress category wherever it was considered, the performance netted her a BAFTA Award, Los Angeles Film Critics Award, New York Film Critics Award, Golden Globe and Academy Award.  She earned two Oscar nominations the following year for her work in The Remains of the Day and In the Name of the Father.  In 1995, Thompson’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, directed by Ang Lee, won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay as well as the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay and Best Screenplay awards from the Writers Guild of America and the Writers Guild of Great Britain, among others. For her performance in the film she was honored with a Best Actress award from BAFTA and nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. Her performance in Richard Curtis’ Love Actually earned Thompson Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the 2004 Evening Standard Film Awards, London Film Critics Circle Awards and Empire Film Awards, along with a BAFTA nomination. In 2013, Thompson’s moving portrayal of author ‘P.L. Travers’ in Saving Mr. Banks earned her both the National Board of Review and Empire Best Actress Awards, along with Golden Globe, Broadcast Film Critics, SAG and BAFTA nominations.

Thompson is currently on location filming Alone in Berlin with Brendan Gleeson and Daniel Bruhl. An English language adaptation of Hans Fallada’s powerful novel, based on the true story of a working class couple who conducted a harrowing series of anonymous protests against the Nazi regime during Second World War, the film is being directed by Vincent Perez, who also co-wrote the screenplay. Thompson has completed filming on The Long Midnight of Barney Thomson opposite Robert Carlyle and Ray Winstone; on director Ken Kwapis’ A Walk in the Woods, opposite Robert Redford and Nick Nolte; and on Adam Jones, starring Bradley Cooper.

In March of 2014, to the delight of both critics and audiences, she portrayed ‘Mrs. Lovett’ in the New York Philharmonic’s staged production of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, opposite bass-baritone Bryn Terfel, in the title role. The production marked Thompson’s New York Philharmonic debut, New York stage debut, and first time performing the role. She and Terfel reprised their roles this Spring, in a sold-out, limited run at the London Coliseum with the English National Opera, for the ENO’s first ever season of musical theater.

In September of 2014, Penguin Press published The Spectacular Tale of Peter Rabbit, the third in the series written by Thompson. To celebrate the 110^th anniversary of Peter Rabbit, Thompson was commissioned to write the 24^th tale in the existing collection of Peter Rabbit stories.  It marked the first time that Frederick Warne, the publisher, had published an additional title to the series, which Beatrix Potter wrote between 1902 and 1930. The book, entitled The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit was published in September of 2012 to great critical acclaim and, in October of 2013, Penguin published The Christmas Tale of Peter Rabbit.

Thompson’s feature film debut came in 1988, starring opposite Jeff Goldblum in the comedy The Tall Guy.  Her other film credits include Henry V; Dead Again; Peter’s Friends; Much Ado About Nothing; Junior; Carrington; The Winter Guest; Imagining Argentina; Primary Fiction; Stranger Than Fiction; Last Chance Harvey (Golden Globe nomination as Best Actress); Love Punch; Pixar’s Academy Award-winning animated film, Brave, and Men In Black 3.

In 2010, she reprised the title role of the magical Nanny in Nanny McPhee Returns, for which she also wrote the screenplay and acted as an Executive Producer.  Thompson created the character for the screen originally in 2004, in her own adaptation of Nanny McPhee, directed by Kirk Jones.

In 2004, she brought to the screen JK Rowling’s character of Sybil Trelawney in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, for director Alfonso Cuaron, and in 2007, she reprised the role in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, for director David Yates

For director Mike Nichols, she starred in the HBO telefilms Wit (2001, in a Golden Globe-nominated performance) and Angels in America (2002, Screen Actors Guild Award and EMMY Award nominations).  For her performance in the BBC Two television production of Christopher Reid’s narrative poem, Song of Lunch, opposite Alan Rickman, Thompson was nominated for a 2012 Emmy Award (in the U.S. it aired on “Masterpiece” on PBS). Also in 2012, she portrayed Elizabeth II in the Sprout/SKY ARTS production Walking the Dogs.

Throughout the 1980s Thompson frequently appeared on British TV, including widely acclaimed recurring roles on the Granada TV series Alfresco, BBC’s Election Night Special and The Crystal Cube (the latter written by fellow Cambridge alums Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie), and a hilarious one-off role as upper-class twit Miss Money Sterling on The Young Ones. In 1985, Channel 4 offered Thompson her own TV special Up for Grabs and in 1988 she wrote and starred in her own BBC series called Thompson.  She worked as a stand-up comic hen the opportunity arose, and earned £60 in cash on her 25^th birthday in a stand-up double bill with Ben Elton at the Croydon Warehouse. She says it’s the best money she’s ever earned.

Thompson was born in London to Eric Thompson, a theatre director and writer, and Phyllida Law, an actress.  She read English at Cambridge and was invited to join the university’s long-standing Footlights comedy troupe, which elected her Vice President.  Hugh Laurie was President.  While still a student, she co-directed Cambridge’s first all-women revue Women’s Hour, made her television debut on BBC-TV’s Friday Night, Saturday Morning as well as her radio debut on BBC Radio’s Injury Time.

She continued to pursue an active stage career concurrently with her TV and radio work, appearing in A Sense of Nonsense touring England in 1982, the self-penned Short Vehicle at the Edinburgh Festival in 1983, Me and My Girl first at Leicester and then London’s West End in 1985, and Look Back in Anger at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue in 1989.

Thompson is President of the Helen Bamber Foundation, a UK-based human rights organization, formed in April 2005, to help rebuild the lives of, and inspire a new self-esteem in, survivors of gross human rights violations.  On behalf of the Foundation, Thompson co-curated “Journey,” an interactive art installation which used seven transport containers to illustrate the brutal and harrowing experiences of women sold into the sex trade. Thompson and “Journey” traveled to London, Vienna, Madrid, New York and the Netherlands for exhibitions and interviews.

Last year, Thompson joined Greenpeace on their Save the Arctic campaign. She is also an Ambassador for the international development agency, ActionAid, and has spoken out publicly about her support for the work the NGO is doing, in particular, in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic that continues to sweep across Africa. She has been affiliated with the organization since 2000 and thus far has visited ActionAid projects in Uganda, Ethiopia, Mozambique, South Africa, Liberia and Myanmar.

Thompson has served as President of the Teaching Awards since 2010. The awards are open to every education establishment in England, Wales and Northern Ireland teaching pupils between the ages of 3 and 18, to nominate and celebrate teachers (and schools) who transform lives and help young people realize their potential. She is a Patron of the Refugee Council and also patron of Edinburgh College’s Performing Arts Studio of Scotland.

This year British actor Ray Winstone celebrates forty years in the industry, marking him as one of the UKs most prolific actors.

 Ray has a host of films due for release this year. Out in February was Pierre Morel’s ‘The Gunman’, based on a Jean-Patrick Manchette novel. In the spy-thriller, Ray stars alongside Sean Penn, Idris Elba and Javier Bardem.   Other upcoming films include American film ‘Zipper’, directed by Mora Stephens and co-starring Patrick Wilson, Lena Headey and Richard Dreyfuss which premiered at Sundance, and Robert Carlyle’s directorial debut film ‘The Legend of Barney Thomson’, with Emma Thompson and Carlyle. Also for release is the remake of 1991 cult classic ‘Point Break’ with director Ericson Core at the helm, taking the role of FBI agent Angelo Pappas.

 Ray will return to our TV screens this year in the UK with ITV three-part drama ‘The Trials of Jimmy Rose’ about the notorious armed robber.  The project reunites Ray with British actress Amanda Redman, who starred alongside him in acclaimed crime film ‘Sexy Beast’ in 2000.

 Last year Ray starred in Darren Aronofsky’s epic box office hit film ‘Noah’.  Ray stars as Noah’s nemesis ‘Tubal Cain’, opposite Russell Crowe, Emma Watson, Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Connelly and Douglas Booth.  The film is based on the story of Noah’s Ark, where the biblical Noah (Crowe) suffers visions of an apocalyptic deluge and takes measures to protect his family from the coming flood.

Ray Winstone was born in Hackney in the East End of London.  He started boxing at the age of twelve, was three times London Schoolboy champion and fought twice for England.  He studied acting at the Corona School before being cast by director Alan Clarke as Carlin (‘the Daddy’) in ‘Scum’.  This BBC Play production made Winstone’s name and since then he has appeared in numerous TV series and movies.  After playing a starring role in Franc Roddam’s ‘Quadrophenia’ and being cast by Ken Loach in ‘Ladybird, Ladybird,’ Gary Oldman gave Winstone the lead role in his gritty biographical drama, ‘Nil By Mouth’, for which he won a British Independent Film Award for Best Actor and earned a BAFTA Award nomination. His mesmerising performance lead to a succession of challenging roles including Dave in the gangster movie ‘Face’ and Dad in Tim Roth’s disturbing drama, ‘The War Zone.’  He also played in the comedy drama ‘The Mammy’ and ‘Fanny & Elvis’ before delivering one of the finest performances of his career opposite Ben Kingsley in ‘Sexy Beast.’

Other film credits include ‘Cold Mountain’, ‘King Arthur’, ‘The Proposition’, Oscar winner ‘The Departed’ directed by Martin Scorcese, Anthony Minghella’s ‘Breaking and Entering’, the title role in the Robert Zemeckis film ‘Beowulf’ and Steven Spielberg’s ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’. Most recent projects include ‘44 Inch Chest’ for director Malcolm Venville, ‘London Boulevard’ and ‘Edge of Darkness’ both for GK Films, the newly released ‘Snow White and The Hunstman’ opposite Charlize Theron and ‘The Sweeney’ for Vertigo Films.

TV credits include ‘Henry VIII’ (which went on to win Best Mini Series/TV Movie at the International Emmy Awards), ‘Sweeney Todd’ and ‘Compulsion’ both films for television for his company Size 9 Productions and ‘Vincent’ for which Ray won an International Emmy Award for Best Actor for his eponymous role. Ray’s most recent television credit was playing Magwitch in BBC’s ‘Great Expectations’.

 In December 2007, Ray received the Richard Harris Award for outstanding contribution at the British Independent Film Awards.
CHARLIE TAYLOR - BRIAN PETTIFER

Brian’s is currently with the National Theatre of Scotland, appearing in “Yer Granny.”

Sir Tom Courtenay debuted onstage in 1960 with the Old Vic theatre company at the Lyceum, Edinburgh.

In 1961 he took on the title role of “Billy Liar” at the Cambridge Theatre . In 1963 he played that same role in the film version. His performance in the film earned him a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor. The prior year he had been nominated for Promising Newcomer for the film “The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner.” In 1965 He was nominated again for a Best Actor BAFTA for the film “King and Country.” That year he was also nominated for an Academy award for Best Supporting Actor in “Dr. Zhivago.”

In 1985 his performance in “The Dresser” won him the BAFTA Best Actor Award. “The Dresser” also earned him an Academy Award Nomination along side co-star Albert Finney and a Golden Globe Award. The film itself was also nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award. This year Sir Tom and his co-star Charlotte Rampling won the Silver Bear Awards in acting for their work in “45 Years.”

Prior to the making the film “The Dresser,” Sir Tom stared in the play on Broadway. His performance earned him a Tony Award in 1982. He earned is first Tony in 1977 for the play “Otherwise Engaged.

Amongst his dozens of theatre performances are “The Cherry Orchard,” Macbeth,” “Charley’s Aunt,” “The Playboy of the Western World,” “Hamlet,” “The Rivals, “the Prince of Homburg,” “The Norman Conquests,” “King Lear,” “Uncle Vanya” and “Art.”

In 1994 Sir Tom’s work in “Moscow Stations” won him the London Critics Circle Theatre Award for Best Actor as well as the London Evening Standard Award. In 2002 he wrote and starred in the one man show “Pretending to Be Me” based on the writings of poet Philip Larkin.

In addition to his award winning and nominated performances, he’s also appeared in the films “Operation Crossbow,” “King Rat,” “Night of the Generals,” “The Day the Fish Came Out,” “A Dandy in Aspic,” “Happy New Year,” “Leonard Part 6,” “Poslendi Motyl,” The Boy from Mercury,” “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch,” “What Happened to Harrold Smith?” “Last Orders,” Nicholas Nickleby,” “The Golden Compass,” “Quartet,” “Gambit,” “Night Train to Lisbon,” and “Dad’s Army.”

In 1999 Sir Tom won the BAFTA for Best TV Actor for the TV Movie “A Rather English Marriage. In 2009, he earned an Emmy nomination for his work in the TV Mini Series “Little Dorrit.” Other television credits include TV Movies “I Heard the Owl Call My Name,” “Time and Again,” “Me and the Girls,” “The Old Curiosity Shop” and “Ready When You Are Mr. McGill.” TV Series credits include “Kavanagh QC,” “Screenplay” and “The Royle Family.”

He was awarded Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire in the 2001 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to drama.

A staple of British television, with credits in hundreds of television shows, Cosmo made a name for himself playing Scottish “tough guy” characters, often with a screen-dominating charisma.

Outside of Britain, he is best known for his film roles as Angus MacLeod in “Highlander,” Campbell in “Braveheart” and as Father Christmas in the adaptation of “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” Over the years he has also had roles in films such as “The Last Legion,” “Troy,” and “2081.”

In 2011 his work in the film “Donkey’s” earned him the Scottish BAFTA Award for Best Actor. “Donkey’s” also was awarded Best Film. In 2012 he was nominated for another Scottish BAFTA for his work in the film “The Priest.”

Amongst his dozens of television credits, are his recurring roles in the acclaimed HBO series “Game of Thrones” and the FX Series “Sons of Anarchy.”

In addition to “The Legend of Barney Thompson,” Cosmo can soon be seen in the film “Monochrome.”

He is currently playing the role of Quintus in the Feature Film “Ben Hur.”
DETECTIVE SERGEANT CALLUM MacPHERSON - KEVIN GUTHRIE

Scottish born actor Kevin Guthrie trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. 

 In 2013 Kevin starred in the critically acclaimed feature film “Sunshine on Leith,”  based on the popular musical. 

 Kevin has starred n the BBC series’ “Mountain Men,” “The Paradise,” “Case Histories” and “Field of Blood.”  He also appeared in the series “Misfits” for E4.

TV movie credits include “Two Doors Down,” Restless,” Adventures of Daniel” and “Half Moon Investigations.”

His numerous theatrical productions include “Macbeth,” “Beautiful Burnout,” “Dunsinane,” “Peter Pan,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Marketboy.”  He recently starred in “The Internet is A Serious Business” at The Royal Court.

In addition to “The Legend of Barney Thompson,” Kevin is also starring as the lead in Terence Davies' film “Sunset Song.”
CHRIS PORTER – MARTIN COMPSTON

Marin Compston starred in two seasons of the TV Series “Line of Duty” for which he received a nomination for Best Actor Award at the TV Choice Awards. He also starred in three seasons of “Monarch of the Glen.” Other TV credits include the series’ “Ripper Street,” “Silent Witness,” “Agatha Christie’s Marple” “Casualty,” “Rockface,” “The Royal” and the Mini-Series’ “Ice Cream Girls” and “The Great Train Robbery.”

Martin’s feature film credits include “ The Wee Man” which earned him a nomination for Best Film Actor Award at the Scottish BAFTA Awards in 2013. “Ghosted” which won him the Best Actor Award at the Torino Film Festival in 2011. “Red Road” which earned him a nomination for Best Performance in a Supporting Role at the British Independent Film Awards in 2006. “True North” which earned him a nomination for Best Actor Award at the BAFTA Awards Scotland in 2006. In 2006 he won the Best Actor Award (which he shared with Shia LaBeouf and Channing Tatum) for his work in “ A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints” at the Gijon Film Festival. The film also won the Best Ensemble Performance Award at the Sundance Film Festival.

In 2002, his work in the Film “Sweet Sixteen” won him the Best Actor In A Feature Film Award at the BAFTA Awards Scotland, the Most Promising Newcomer Award at the British Independent Film Awards, the Young Actor Of The Year Award at the McEwans Scottish People's Film Festival, and the 2003 Best British Newcomer Award at the Critics Circle Awards.

Other Feature Film credits include “Niceland,” “Tickets,” “Wild Country,” “Doomsday,” “Freakdog,” “The Damned United,” “Donkeys,” “Soulboy,” “The disappearance of Alice Creed,” “”Four,” “Piggy,” “Sister,” “Filth,” and the upcoming films “Hunters’ Prayer” and “Scottish Mussel.”

WULLIE HENDERSON – STEPHEN McCOLE

Stephen McCole’s film credits include “Dead Eye Dick,” “Clean,” “Blackout,” “At the End of the Sentence,” “I’ll Be Right Here,” “ Rushmore, “ The Acid House,” “Complicity,” “Last Orders,” “the Magdalalene Sisters,” “Kitchen,” “Stone of Destiny,”

“Last Word,” “Neds,” “A Lonely Place to Die” and “The Wee Man.” His performance in “Crying With Laughter” earned him a nomination for Best Actor from the Scottish BAFTA Awards.

He’s appeared in the TV series “High Times” as well as the Series’ “River City,” “Atlantis,” “Merlin,” “The Crews,” Taggart” and “Rebus.” TV Mini-Series credits include “The Hollow Crown,” “Young James Herriot,” “Single Father” and the critically acclaimed “Band of Brothers.”

Stephen’s many stage credits include “Trainspotting,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “Monks,” “The Wheel,” “Mary Queen of Scots,” the international tour of the National Theatre of Scotland’s “Blackwatch” and “Let the Right One In” at the Royal Court.
DETECTIVE SERGEANT SAM JOBSON – SAMUEL ROBERTSON

In addition to the soon to be released “The Legend of Barney Thompson,” Samuel Robertson has appeared in the feature films “Dementamania” and “Hot Hot Hot.”

He played Flynn in two seasons of the TV Series “Beaver Falls” and Adam Barlow in “Coronation Street.” Other television credits include the Series’ “Bedlam,” “Being Victor” and “Push” as well as the new BBC Series “Stonemouth.”

CREW BIOGRAPHIES
DIRECTOR – ROBERT CARLYLE

See above

Colin co-wrote THE LEGEND OF BARNEY THOMPSON (along with Rich Cowan from the book by Douglas Lindsay).

Colin wrote the BAFTA award winning feature film “Donkeys” – a black comedy starring James Cosmo, Kate Dickie & Martin Compston, directed by Morag McKinnon and produced by Anna Duffield for Sigma Films.

He also wrote the BAFTA winning short “Home,” also directed by Morag McKinnon.

Colin lives in Glasgow. 
WRITER/PRODUCER – RICHARD COWAN
When Rich Cowan was offered a summer job in 1985 as a Production Assistant on “Rocky 4,” an eclectic and exciting career in film was born. Since that time, Rich has traveled the world on location from the USA to Canada, to South America and Europe, working as a First Assistant Director and Producer. His varied spectrum of credits includes historical tales, action/special effects adventures, family stories, and comedies. They range from large budget studio features to lower budget independents. He has worked with a diverse list of directors including Bruce Beresford (6 films), Jay Roach (2 films), John Landis, McG, Michael Lembec, Raja Gosnell, Drew Goddard, Fred Schepisi, and legend Arthur Hiller.

Six years ago, Rich was introduced to the book “The Long Midnight of Barney Thompson”, a dark comedy set in Glasgow Scotland, the birthplace of his father. Feeling a close connection to the book, Rich acquired the rights and wrote the screenplay for what became his passion project. With much perseverance, and in conjunction with many great partners, Rich proudly has seen the project come to life under the new title “The Legend of Barney Thomson” directed by and starring Robert Carlyle with an ensemble cast that includes Ray Winstone, and two time Academy award winner Emma Thompson.

Trinity Works Entertainment specializes in bold stories, well told. In 2011, Film/TV producer John G. Lenic joined forces with Independent Feature producer Kaleena Kiff to create the film production company Trinity Works Entertainment. Trinity’s mandate: to develop international talent, and produce well written, character driven stories.

Their first production, Marilyn, starring Allison Mack (Smallville) and Ryan Robbins (Falling Skies), screened at the Whistler Film Festival where it was nominated for the prestigious Borsos Award for Best Canadian Feature and played to a sold out crowd, earning it rave reviews. Additionally, it was nominated for eight Leo Awards, winning the Best Actor award for lead actor Ryan Robbins.

Their most recent film is the Canada/UK Co-production, The Legend of Barney Thomson, written by Rich Cowan and Colin McLaren. Renowned character actor Robert Carlyle (Trainspotting, The Full Monty, Once Upon a Time), signed on to star in and make the movie his feature directorial debut. The film also stars Emma Thompson, Ray Winstone, and Ashley Jensen.

Trinity Works Entertainment continues to develop a number of projects with both emerging and established talent.
PRODUCERS – SIGMA FILMS

David Mackenzie and Gillian Berrie founded Sigma films in 1996. After making several award winning shorts they embarked on their first feature and went on to co-produce numerous features with Denmark's Zentropa, including Wilbur (wants to kill himself), Dogville, Manderlay, Brothers, Dear Wendy and After The Wedding.

As well as producing and co-producing for established directors Sigma has a commitment to developing the Scottish industry and helping new talent make the all-important step up. With this in mind Sigma initiated the Advance Party project in collaboration with Zentropa, of which Andrea Arnold’s Cannes Jury prize winner Red Road was the first film produced and Morag McKinnon's Scottish BAFTA winning Donkeys, the second. The most recent Sigma produced first feature was Ciaran Foy’s multi-award winning Citadel.  

Sigma also co-produced Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin starring Scarlett Johanssen. The company has been the producing vehicle for the majority of David Mackenzie’s features including Hallam Foe, Perfect Sense, Tonight You’re Mine and Starred Up, which has picked up more than 12 awards and 11 award nominations.

Sigma is currently in post-production with debuts from Colin Kennedy –Swung and Robert Carlyle - The Legend of Barney Thomson.

PRODUCER - JOHN G. LENIC
John G. Lenic is an award winning film and television producer born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. He has produced nearly 400 hours of American broadcast and worldwide syndicated television.

As Head Of Development for Gekko Film Corp, John oversaw development of the first season of Stargate SG-1, which went onto segue into production over subsequent seasons. The hit franchise would span 14 years of his career, consisting of ten seasons (212 episodes) of Stargate SG-1, five seasons of Stargate Atlantis (100 episodes) and two seasons of Stargate Universe (40 episodes). Several seasons of SG-1 and Atlantis shot concurrently, sharing sets, stages, cast and crew.

When Stargate Universe came to an end, John started producing for and consulting with Vancouver based production company, Lark Productions, producing the NBC/U International franchise reality series The Real Housewives of Vancouver, the OWN Network series Gastown Gamble, the first two seasons of the ABC and NBC/U International series Motive, and the UCP/SyFy/Bryan Fuller pilot, High Moon.

In addition to television, John has developed and produced a number of feature films, including the comedy A Dog’s Breakfast, released in 2007 by MGM and 20th Century Fox, Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum, two DVD features for MGM released in 2008.

In 2011, John formed Trinity Works Entertainment with Kaleena Kiff, with the strategic eye towards developing well written, character driven stories. That same year they executive produced Marilyn, starring Allison Mack (Smallville) and Ryan Robbins (Falling Skies), which screened at the Whistler Film Festival.

In 2012, he produced the live action feature of Microsoft’s Halo: Forward Unto Dawn, which is now being developed into a Television series by 343 Industries and Steven Spielberg.

In 2014, Trinity Works produced the feature film, The Long Midnight of Barney Thomson, a black comedy reminiscent of Fargo and Delicatessen. Written by Rich Cowan and Colin McLaren, The Long Midnight of Barney Thomson is based on the first in a series of novels by Douglas Lindsay.

The movie stars Robert Carlyle (Trainspotting, The Full Monty, Once Upon a Time), Emma Thompson (Sense and Sensibility, Love Actually, Saving Mr. Banks) and Ray Winstone (The Departed, Noah); and will also serve as Carlyle’s feature directing debut. The film is a Canada/UK Co-Production with Sigma Films serving as the UK production partner.

In 2014 / 2015 John produced the NBC/U International mini-series Childhood’s End in Australia.

PRODUCER - KALEENA KIFF
Raised in Los Angeles, Kaleena Kiff co-created, executive produced, and directed the critically acclaimed web series Riese: Kingdom Falling for Syfy Network and NBC/Universal International. Her debut feature as producer was the 2011 award-winning rock & roll love story, Marilyn. Next, Kaleena produced and 2^nd Unit directed the thriller Death Do Us Part. Recently, Kaleena premiered director Mark Sawer’s comedy feature No Men Beyond This Point at the International Film Festival at Rotterdam 2015. In summer 2015, the much-anticipated directing debut of actor Robert Carlyle, The Legend of Barney Thomson, will premiere. The dark comedy, which Kaleena produced with partner John G. Lenic, stars Robert Carlyle, Emma Thompson, Ray Winstone, and Ashley Jensen. Alongside her partners, Kaleena is developing a slate of feature films and television projects with both emerging and established talent.
PRODUCER – BRIAN COFFEY
Brian Coffey began his career as a production assistant on LAST KING OF SCOTLAND and has steadily moved up the ranks working as the post-production coordinator on Andrea Arnold's, RED ROAD and David Mackenzie's, HALLAM FOE.  He then produced Colin Kennedy's promo, for We Are The Physics, which earned him a BAFTA Scotland New Talent Award nomination. He has since gone on to produce Colin's serial award winning short film I LOVE LUCI (BAFTA Scotland Best Short, Clermont-Ferrand Prix des Mediatheques amongst many others), as well as garnering associate producer credits on feature productions DONKEYS, TONIGHT YOU'RE MINE (You Instead) and PERFECT SENSE.

His debut feature, Ciaran Foy's CITADEL, which he produced with Katie Holly from Blinder Films (Ireland), won the Audience Award in the Midnighter’s Section at SXSW in 2012, and continued to blaze across the festival circuit garnering a further 10 awards. In 2013 he co-produced David Mackenzie's STARRED UP, starring Jack O’Connell, Ben Mendelshon and Rupert Friend, which previewed in Telluride and had its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival.  In 2013 he also produced James Lee's short film ENDING, which is currently in post production and Colin Kennedy's debut feature film SWUNG which is set for release in 2015 and stars Elena Anaya, Owen McDonnell and Elizabeth McGovern.

Robert Carlyle's directorial debut THE LEGEND OF BARNEY THOMSON, starring Robert Carlyle, Emma Thompson and Ray Winstone, is his most recent feature film, which is a Canada / UK co production with Trinity Works Entertainment (Canada).

Brian is currently financing the elevated Horror film, HUSH, which he is producing with Danny Sherman from Tagline Pictures (USA).  Shooting 2015.

His work includes Television Series’ “Game of Thrones,” “Sherlock,” “Spooks,” “The Accused,” “The Street” and the 20^th Century Fox Feature Film “Victor Frankenstein.”

Fabian has been nominated for an Emmy and an ASC award. He also has recently been invited to join the British Society of Cinematographers. 

PRODUCTION DESIGNER – ROSS DEMPSTER
Although now living in Vancouver, Canada, Ross Dempster, Production Designer, was born and raised just a few miles from the locations being shot for The Legend of Barney Thomson. His insight into the city of Glasgow helped formulate the look of the movie whilst adding a unique international perspective.
Ross has worked on several major features including Elysium, Godzilla and 2012 and has received several awards and nominations for his craft.

When not working, Ross enjoys ranch life with his family, horses, and dogs and enjoys tearing up country lanes on his Triumph motorcycle.

Mike Banas, CCE is an award winning Canadian editor who has worked in the film industry for the past 20 years. Born in Toronto and educated in Montreal, Mike moved to Vancouver in the mid 1990′s and began working at MGM Television. Not tied to any particular genre, he has edited science fiction and action on all three iterations of the “Stargate” franchise, “Continuum” and “The Dead Zone.” Mike has cut dramas, and police procedurals like “Cold Squad,” “DaVinci's Inquest” and a “North of 60” movie. He has also worked on comedies such as “Dead Like Me” and “The L.A. Complex.’ His first feature film was 2007's “Young People F**king.” Despite it's salacious title, it premiered at the Toronto International Film Fest and was so well received that it was voted a Top Ten at TIFF by the festival goes.

More recently, Sharon has branched out as a costume designer on independent films such as “The Silent Storm (which premiered at the London Film Festival and stars Damien Lewis and Andrea Riseborough) and of course The Legend of Barney Thompson, which she has balanced alongside designing costumes on commercials for a variety of brands including Range Rover, Film 4 and Three Mobile.

Sharon is currently in Budapest working on dystopian thriller THE WHITE KING, based on the best-selling book of the same name by György Dragomán.

COMPOSERS – ANTONY GENN AND MARTIN SLATTERY

Antony Genn and Martin Slattery have worked together on a wide range and varied number of projects since meeting in 1996. At the time Antony had been touring with Pulp and Elastica and Martin with Black Grape. They went on to co-write and produce 3 records for The Clash frontman Joe Strummer and toured with him in his band The Mescaleros.  They formed their own band 'The Hours' in 2005 and have made two critically acclaimed albums,touring in Europe with U2, Oasis, Kasabian and in 2012 opening for Noel Gallagher in the U.S. They have co-written/produced/remixed records for Unkle, Grace Jones, Queens Of The Stone Age, and Ian Brown to name a few. 

PRODUCED BY JOHN G. LENIC, p.g.a. & KALEENA KIFF, p.g.a.

WRITTEN BY RICHARD COWAN AND COLIN MCLAREN

ADAPTED FOR THE SCREEN BY RICHARD COWAN

BASED THE BOOK “THE LONG MIDNIGHT OF BARNEY THOMSON” by DOUGLAS LINDSAY

PRODUCERS - BRIAN COFFEY, HOLLY BRYDSON & RICHARD COWAN

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS - KIRK D’AMICO & DOUGLAS APATOW

CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER - EMILY ALDEN

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY – FABIAN WAGNER, B.S.C.

PRODUCTION DESIGNER – ROSS DEMPSTER

EDITOR – MIKE BANAS, C.C.E.

ORIGINAL SCORE BY - ANTONY GENN & MARTIN SLATTERY

CASTING - KAHLEEN CRAWFORD

ROBERT CARLYLE BARNEY THOMSON

EMMA THOMPSON CEMOLINA THOMSON

RAY WINSTONE DET. INSPECTOR HOLDALL

MARTIN COMPSTON CHRIS PORTER

ASHLEY JENSEN DET. INSPECTOR ROBERTSON

KEVIN GUTHRIE DET. SERGEANT MACPHERSON

STEPHEN MCCOLE WULLIE HENDERSON

SAMUEL ROBERTSON DET. SERGEANT JOBSON

WITH BRIAN PETTIFER CHARLIE TAYLOR