TORONTO – In Ballad Of A Small Player, Colin Farrell takes audiences on a descent into a shadowy world of high-stakes gambling, deception, and supernatural overtones — all set against the vibrant, chaotic backdrop of Macau, the world’s biggest casino hub.

The film, a Netflix original, marks a rare major Western production shot entirely in Macau. Over 33 days, the cast and crew filmed inside real casinos, including on live gaming floors surrounded by actual high rollers.

“It was all-hands-on-deck. It was a bananas shoot,” said Farrell at the film’s Toronto Film Festival premiere on September 9. “I spent eight weeks living in hotels in the middle of the gambling strip… something I’d never imagine doing otherwise.”

Directed by Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front, Conclave), the film adapts Lawrence Osborne’s novel of the same name, following Farrell’s character — a velvet-suited conman and gambling addict — as he spirals through Macau’s glitzy, ghost-haunted underbelly during the Hungry Ghost Festival.

Co-starring Tilda Swinton as a mysterious investigator tracking Farrell’s every move, the film also features Fala Chen, Deanie Ip, and Alex Jennings.

🎥 A Fever Dream in Asia’s Gambling Capital

Macau, often seen only briefly in Western films like Now You See Me 2, takes center stage here with all its lavish replicas of the Eiffel Tower, Venetian canals, and skyline of opulence.

“It’s never been shown like that in a Western film,” said Berger. “It felt like an adventure.”

To nail the authenticity of the film’s baccarat-heavy plot, Berger and the cast immersed themselves in the local gaming culture.

“Absolutely, we had to learn,” Berger said. “We didn’t lose any money, though.”

When asked whether he was ever tempted to place a high-stakes bet, Farrell laughed:

“One affliction I never got — gambling. Not for me, man.”

👻 A Haunting Shift in Genre

The movie’s unique tone — a blend of noir thriller, personal tragedy, and supernatural eeriness — is accentuated by its setting during the Hungry Ghost Festival, a time when it’s believed spirits roam among the living.

It’s a stark departure from Berger’s previous films — the visceral WWI epic All Quiet on the Western Front and the cerebral Vatican thriller Conclave.

“I burn out on subject matter,” Berger admitted. “So I just try something completely different.”

The result? A genre-bending odyssey through addiction, isolation, and redemption in one of the most vibrant, kinetic settings ever put to screen.