Project Detail

Mindhorn

Synopsis

Washed-up actor Richard Thorncroft peaked with hit 1980s detective show 'Mindhorn', playing the titular Isle of Man sleuth with a rather unique ability. As a captured MI5 Special Operative, Bruce Mindhorn's eye was replaced by a super-advanced optical lie detector, which meant he could literally 'see the truth'. Mindhorn escaped and fled to the Isle of Man, to recuperate in the island’s temperate microclimate, and became the best plain-clothes detective the island had ever seen...
Decades later, when a deranged Manx criminal demands Mindhorn as his nemesis, Thorncroft returns to the scene of his greatest triumphs for one last chance to reignite his glory days, professional credibility and even romance with former co-star/paramour Patricia Deville.
Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2016 - Laugh Strand - World premiere

Details

Year
2016
Type of project
Features
Running time
89 mins
Director
Sean Foley 1st Feature
Producer
Laura Hastings-Smith, Jack Arbuthnott
Editor
Mark Everson
Screenwriter
Julian Barratt, Simon Farnaby
Director of Photography
David Luther
Production Designer
Peter Francis
Principal cast
Julian Barratt, Essie Davis, Andrea Riseborough, Russell Tovey, Simon Farnaby, Jessica Barden, Harriet Walter, Simon Callow, Steve Coogan

Genre

Categories

Production Status

Production Company

A Scott Free Productions, Mindhorn Productions, BBC FIlms, StudioCanal production in association with Baby Cow with the support of BFI Film Fund, Isle of Man, Pinewood Pictures

Scott Free Films

Donna Chang
42-44 Beak Street
London
W1F 9RH

Sales Company

Page updates

This page was last updated on 12th May 2025. Please let us know if we need to make any amendments or request edit access by clicking below.

See also

You may also be interested in other relevant projects in the database.

About A Bell About A Bell

Director: Simon Callow

Year: 2026

Sami, a Syrian refugee in the UK, and Bryony, an aimless young librarian, embark on a highly personal quest to preserve a bell from a demolished Christian church. What begins as a civic protest quickly becomes a criminal case when they accidentally near fatally injure a security guard, and find themselves on the run from the police. However, our accidental heroes’ fate is sealed by a kindly police sergeant who is moved by their mission, and our odd-couple achieve their goal of saving the bell and reminding the town they both call home about the importance of remembering its own story.

Steiner Steiner

Director: Remo Pini

Year: 2028

The dramatic true story of Austrian visionary, Rudolf Steiner who against ridicule, controversy and attempts on his life, developed an intricate philosophy based on his ability to research and perceive spiritual dimensions.

British-Mexican woman sat on her bed with a tray on her drawing a comic. Chasing Home

Director: Christopher Mills

Year: 2026

A British-Mexican comedy, the first one of its kind in terms of representation, about identity, family dynamics, and the relentless pressure to “have it all together” by your 30s. The film explores the universal themes of self-worth, envy, and societal expectations, while asking a core question: What makes someone a failure in the eyes of themselves and others? At its heart, this is the story of Camila, a 30-year-old British-Mexican comic book creator whose life is spiralling out of control. As she faces a job loss, mounting financial pressure, and the revelation that her 51-year-old mother is unexpectedly pregnant, Camila's desperation grows. She’s torn between familial obligations and her own dreams of independence, symbolised by a flat she can no longer afford. Her personal journey is a chaotic and sometimes humorous collision of cultural expectations, family dysfunction, and her own insecurities.