Jack Reynor, Toni Colette topline Gerard Barrett's Glassland

Gerard Barrett’s sophomore feature Glassland has attracted a hot cast including What Richard Did and Transformers star Jack Reynor [pictured], Toni Colette, Will Poulter and Michael Smiley.

The shoot is due to get underway on January 8 in Dublin on the Element Pictures feature.

Glassland tells the story of a young taxi driver (Reynor) who gets tangled up in the world of human trafficking while trying to save his mother (Collette) from addiction.

26-year old writer-director Barrett won the 2013 Irish Film and Television Awards Rising Star Award for debut feature Pilgrim Hill, which he also produced and edited.

Ed Guiney and Juliette Bonass are producing for Element Pictures in association with Nine Entertainment. Finance comes from the Irish Film Board and Element Pictures. The executive producer is Andrew Lowe.

Guiney described Pilgrim Hill as “undoubtedly one of the most impressive debut films we have seen in a very long time… [Gerard] is an amazing film-maker and a brilliant new voice.” 

Guiney, producer of The Guard, Shadow Dancer and Frank, also produced Irish actor Reynor’s breakout feature What Richard Did, directed by Lenny Abrahamson.

Reynor recently wrapped shoot as the male lead on Michael Bay’s Transformers: Age of Extinction.

Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress Collette most recently starred in Enough Said and The Way, Way Back, and has won five AFI awards, including for her breakout performance in hit 1994 comedy-drama Muriel’s Wedding.

Will Poulter is known most recently for We’re the Millers and Chronicles of Narnia but also turned in well-received turns in Wild Bill and Son of Rambow.

Michael Smiley has struck a winning feature collaboration with director Ben Wheatley in recent years, with strong performances in A Field in England and Kill List. He is also well-known from BBC TV series Luther. 

Barrett said he was “incredibly privileged” to be working with his exciting sophomore feature cast: “I look forward to collaborating with them all individually in bringing our story to life on the screen.”