Liverpool Film Office Backs Bill Nighy’s A Town

The Liverpool Film Office has officially checked into its first-ever feature film investment. On January 30, 2026, city officials confirmed that the Liverpool City Region Production Fund is backing the new indie drama A Town in Nova Scotia, starring British icon Bill Nighy.

The project marks a significant milestone for the region’s booming film industry, which has traditionally focused on high-end TV dramas like The Responder and Time. By supporting Nighy’s latest feature, Liverpool is signaling its evolution into a full-scale cinematic hub capable of anchoring major independent productions.

The Story: A Merseyside Heart-Wrencher

Directed by the award-winning Babak Jalali (Fremont) and co-written with Carolina Cavalli, the film is a "subtle comedy-drama" that grounds its global themes in the local landscape of the North West.

• The Plot: Nighy stars as Leon, a widowed man in his 70s living in a block of council flats in Liverpool. Following the death of his wife, Leon spends his days with his best friend Saleh (Makram J. Khoury). The emotional crux of the film arrives when Leon’s daughter, who has moved to Canada, begs him to leave his life behind and join her in Nova Scotia.

• The Conflict: The film explores the "invisible" lives of the elderly, focusing on the deep bonds of friendship and the terrifying prospect of starting over in a new country during the final chapter of one's life.

A "Golden Era" Homecoming

For the 76-year-old Nighy, filming in Liverpool is a trip down memory lane. The actor has long-standing ties to the city, having been a cornerstone member of the Liverpool Everyman Theatre repertory company during its "golden era" in the 1970s.

Nighy was spotted earlier in January 2026 filming on Victoria Road in New Brighton, as well as along the Wallasey Promenade and Caithness Drive. Residents reported that the actor remained "the ultimate gentleman" between takes, stopping to admire the view of the Liverpool city center across the Mersey.

Boosting the Local Economy

The Liverpool Film Office’s backing isn't just a cultural win—it’s a tactical economic move. As part of the funding agreement, the production is committed to:

• Local Employment: Hiring a significant number of locally based crew and facilities.

• Talent Development: Utilizing the Film Office’s Action! skills programme to provide trainees and new entrants with their first professional film credits.

• Community Engagement: The cast features several professional and non-professional actors recruited directly from the Liverpool City Region.

“It’s absolutely brilliant to see production begin on A Town in Nova Scotia,” said Councillor Harry Doyle. “Through the fantastic work of the Liverpool Film Office, we have become the UK’s go-to filming location outside of London.”

2026: Liverpool's Cinematic Surge

A Town in Nova Scotia isn't the only project the Film Office is celebrating this month. The fund also announced support for Saviour, a six-part courtroom thriller for ITV starring Aidan Gillen and Anjli Mohindra.

With Nighy’s feature slated for a theatrical release later in 2026 and the city region recently revealing its finalists for the Culture and Creativity Awards, Liverpool’s screen sector is operating at an all-time high.

Source - https://www.prolificnorth.co.uk/news/liverpool-film-office-backs-bill-nighy-feature/

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