It seems like only a year since Edward Berger was in the awards conversation with Conclave — which is perhaps because it is. But even by the director’s usual swift standards, Ballad of a Small Player is a hell of a quick turnaround. Based on the novel by Lawrence Osborne, it stars Colin Farrell as Lord Doyle, a conman hiding out in the garish casinos of Macau, where he dreams of winning a fortune and making a fresh start.

Appearing at Contenders London alongside Farrell, the actor’s co-star Fala Chen and cinematographer James Friend, Berger traced the movie back to its inception. “It started about eight years ago,” he recalled, “with Mike Goodridge, our producer, who gave me the book. I read it and I thought it was fantastic. It was a great basis for a movie. I loved this plac

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