American Film Market Dailies

 Shooting has commenced in Glasgow on ‘eco-rom com’ SCOTTISH MUSSEL, the debut writer-director project from Talulah Riley (St Trinians, The Boat That Rocked) starring Martin Compston (Sweet Sixteen, Line of Duty) in the lead role.

Compston is joined on screen by Riley and Joe Thomas (The Inbetweeners, Fresh Meat), alongside a host of quality British acting talent including Harry Enfield (Kevin & Perry Go Large, Churchill: The Hollywood Years), Emun Elliott (Filth, Prometheus), Paul Brannigan (The Angel’s Share, Sunshine On Leith) James Dreyfus (Notting Hill, Gimme Gimme Gimme)   Rachael Sterling (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, The Young Victoria) and comedians Russell Kane and Rufus Hound.

RITCHIE is Glaswegian chancer with low hopes and no prospects. Disillusioned with city‐life, he goes undercover at a Highland conservation centre to make his fortune as an illegal pearl fisher with the help of his two hapless and accident-prone mates, DANNY and FRASER.

Here he meets BETH, a pretty English conservationist passionate about saving endangered mussels from the clutches of pearl thieves in the Scottish Highlands.

Falling for her instantly, Ritchie must beat off competition in the form of Highland Ranger ETHAN, a smooth-talking American Adonis convinced that Beth can’t resist his charms forever.

After the success of pearl fishing attracts the unwanted attentions of old-school Glaswegian mobster GAVIN and his work at the centre leads him to question his true motivations, Ritchie must risk life and limb to save the Highlands from ecological disaster and win Beth’s heart.

Joining Riley on the shoot are Director of Photography Ollie Downey (The White Queen, My Angel), Production Designer Monica Black (upcoming Russell T Davies series Banana, Legacy) and Costume Designer Elizabeth Healy (Billy the Kid). Lewis Albrow (Fast Girls) is Editor on the project.

Jason Maza, Noel Clarke and Phil Dore are producing for Unstoppable Entertainment (The Anomaly, 4.3.2.1, The Hooligan Factory, Storage 24). Cassian Elwes (Dallas Buyers Club, The Butler, Blue Valentine) is serving as executive producer on the project alongside Wayne Goodfrey, David Gilbery and Robert Jones for The Fyzz Facilty Limited.

SCOTTISH MUSSEL will film on location in and around Glasgow for four weeks from 13 October.