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Stars: Graham McTavish, Stan Steinbichler, Susie Porter, Honor Gillies | Written and Directed by Doug Rao

Dirty Boy, directed by Doug Rao in his directorial debut, is an ambitious psychological thriller that attempts to weave a complex tale of mental illness, cult dynamics, and personal redemption. Starring Graham McTavish, Stan Steinbichler, Susie Porter, and Honor Gillies; the film boasts strong performances and a visually striking aesthetic as it takes its time to develop and realise its deep narrative themes working its way under your skin.

Issac (Steinbichler), a young man grappling with schizophrenia, becomes entangled in a nightmare scenario when he believes he has been framed for a series of ritualistic murders. As he attempts to clear his name, he uncovers a sinister cult led by the manipulative and menacing duo of McTavish and Porter, with Gillies playing Hope, a conflicted member of the group living in their Von Trappian mansion.

Dirty Boy, a psychological folk horror rooted in religious extremism and fractured identity, is set to receive its UK premiere at the 33rd Raindance Film Festival on 22 June. Directed by Doug Rao in his feature-length debut, the film has been nominated for four major awards, including Best UK Feature and Best Director of a UK Feature, as well as a Best Performance nomination for Graham McTavish, who plays a central role in the film.

Blending psychological tension with folk horror and cult symbolism, Dirty Boy follows Isaac, a reclusive man raised in an insular religious sect. As ritualistic killings unfold, Isaac comes to suspect he is being framed by those who once controlled him. Schizophrenic and isolated, he must confront the secretive community he escaped from and unearth the full extent of his own fractured identity in order to stop a murder and prove his innocence.

The cast includes Stan Steinbichler,...

A few weeks ago, we shared the news that Outlander actor Graham McTavish has signed on to star in director Neil Marshall’s latest action horror survival thriller, Gunn, where Marshall will be working from a screenplay by Doug Rao, who is producing the film. We also mentioned that Rao recently made his own feature writing and directing debut with the mystery thriller Dirty Boy, which also happened to star Graham McTavish. Now, a trailer for Dirty Boy has dropped online, and you can check it out in the embed above!

Coming our way from Mystic Dream Story Studio and Stone Hill, in association with Saint Halo Productions, Dirty Boy will be having its UK Premiere at the 33rd Raindance Film Festival on June 22nd. It has already been nominated for four awards at the festival; Best Performance in a UK Feature (Graham McTavish), Best UK Feature, Best Director of...

Exclusive: Firebook Entertainment has acquired world sales and distribution rights to Dirty Boy, the debut feature from British actor-turned filmmaker Doug Rao.

The film is described as a psychological thriller. It stars Graham McTavish (The Hobbit) and was shot on location in Styria, Austria, the town where part of The Sound of Music was filmed.

The film’s plot follows a reclusive schizophrenic, raised in an oppressive religious sect, who must clear his name when he’s framed by cult leaders for a series of ritualistic murders. As he races to save the next victim, he must unravel his fractured mind and expose the sect from within.

Also starring are Susie Porter, Stan Steinbichler, Honor Gillies (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), and Alice Lucy (Mad Heidi). The film was produced by Rao, Giles Alderson (The Dare), Marek Lichtenberg, and Sarah-Ann Grill.

Writer-director Doug Rao will make his feature debut with Dirty Boy, a thriller starring Graham McTavish (“House of the Dragon”) that Deadline reports on this afternoon.

Stan Steinbichler (Zero Chill), Susie Porter (Gold) and Honor Gillies (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) also star in Dirty Boy, which has wrapped filming.

The film “centers on Issac (Steinbichler), a reclusive schizophrenic who discovers that he’s being framed for a series of ritualistic murders and must prove his innocence by exposing a sinister cult and rescuing their next victim.” Deadline further details in their report, “McTavish and Porter portray the brutal cult leaders, with Gillies as troubled sect member, Hope.”

The cast for the upcoming thriller will also include Alice Lucy, Katharina Scheuba, Ruaridh Adlington, Ava Merson-o’Brien, Michael Kodi Farrow and Olivia Chenery.

Producers are Giles Alderson, Sarah-Anne Grill (Solitary), and Marek Lichtenberg (The Final 45).

The post ‘Dirty...

Exclusive: Graham McTavish (House of the Dragon), Stan Steinbichler (Zero Chill), Susie Porter (Gold) and Honor Gillies (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) have wrapped production on Dirty Boy, an indie psychological thriller marking the first featur from writer-director Doug Rao.

Pic centers on Issac (Steinbichler), a reclusive schizophrenic who discovers that he’s being framed for a series of ritualistic murders and must prove his innocence by exposing a sinister cult and rescuing their next victim. McTavish and Porter portray the brutal cult leaders, with Gillies as troubled sect member, Hope.

Alice Lucy, Katharina Scheuba, Ruaridh Adlington, Ava Merson-o’Brien, Michael Kodi Farrow and Olivia Chenery co-star. Producers of the project are Giles Alderson, Sarah-Anne Grill (Solitary), and Marek Lichtenberg (The Final 45).

“I am delighted with the level of cast I have for my debut feature,” said Rao, “and getting to work...

Chances for a second season of the Zero Chill TV series have melted. The Netflix skating drama series has been cancelled after one round of 10 episodes.

A teen drama created by Kirstie Falkous and John Regier, Zero Chill stars Grace Beedie, Dakota Benjamin Taylor, Jeremias Amoore, Anastasia Chocholatá, Leonardo Fontes, Jade Ma, Sarah-Jane Potts, Doug Rao, Tanja Ribič, Oscar Skagerberg, Stan Steinbichler, and Christina Tam. In the story, the MacBentley family moves from Toronto to England when son Mac (Taylor) is offered a place at a legendary hockey academy. He's arrogant but also a superstar player. His twin sister is Kayla (Beedie), a figure skater who's struggling now that she's been separated from her skating partner. Kayla and Mac both make magic on the ice, but their approaches are poles apart.

The 10-episode first season of...

Exclusive: The team behind Netflix’s Ya horse drama Free Rein is saddling up for another scripted teen series for the streamer.

The Svod service has commissioned Zero Chill from All3Media-backed Lime Pictures.

The ten-part series follows 15-year old figure skater Kayla, whose life is up-ended from Canada to the UK when her twin brother Mac gets a place at a legendary hockey academy. Distraught at her parents’ decision to put her brother’s ambitions before her own, Kayla must find her place on the ice again in the shadow of her superstar brother.

Zero Chill was created by Doc Martin and Free Rein writers Kirstie Falkous and John Regier and the writers’ room is overseen by Ackley Bridge writer Adam Usden. Angelo Abela (Free Rein) and Tim Compton (The Evermoor Chronicles), who run Lime Pictures’ kids division, exec produce.

It stars newcomers Grace Beedie, who also has a...