James McAvoy's California Schemin' to close Glasgow Film Festival
James McAvoy will close the 2026 Glasgow Film Festival with California Schemin’, his directorial debut that tells the stranger-than-fiction tale of two Dundee lads who hoodwinked the music industry into believing they were Californian hip-hop stars
The 22nd Glasgow Film Festival will run from 25 February to 8 March, and today the festival has revealed the film its team has chosen to close proceedings: James McAvoy’s keenly anticipated California Schemin’.
Based on an outlandish true story, the film follows Gavin Bain and best mate Billy Boyd, aka Silibil N’ Brains, two call centre workers in Dundee who wanna be MCs but are struggling to get a foothold in the industry when the gatekeepers of the UK music scene in London ridicule the idea of Scottish rappers. Their solution – change their accents and invent a backstory that they’re hip-hop stars from California instead.
McAvoy shot the film in locations around Scotland, including Silibil N’ Brains’ home city of Dundee and at the Barrowlands in Glasgow, and he sounds excited about the homecoming screening. “As a proud Glaswegian, I’m delighted to be premiering California Schemin’ as the Closing Night Gala of the Glasgow Film Festival,” says McAvoy. “We made our film in Glasgow and Dundee with the support of a phenomenal Scottish cast and crew, so it feels fitting that we bring it back home for its UK premiere.”
James McAvoy directing California Schemin' behind the scenes
The film stars Séamus McLean Ross as Bain and Samuel Bottomley as Boyd, and across the film we see the duo's lifelong friendship put to the test as fame beckons and the lies pile up. “California Schemin’ is an unbelievable true story about identity, ambition, fame and how much you’re willing to sacrifice to get it,” says McAvoy. “It’s a wild story and I can’t wait to share the film with festival audiences in March.”
Glasgow Film Festival's new Head of Programme, Paul Gallagher, reckons the film will go down a storm on GFF’s closing night. “James McAvoy has poured his heart and soul into making California Schemin’, and the results are right there on the screen,” he says. “This is a film of huge emotions, hilarious characters, firecracker performances and a Barrowlands-set finale that blows the roof off. Mark your diaries, this is one party you won’t want to miss.”
The UK premiere of California Schemin’ will close GFF on 8 March, and tickets go on sale in January 2026 – more info at glasgowfilmfest.org/home
The film will be released in UK and Irish cinemas by StudioCanal on 10 April 2026