Partick Thistle Football Club are set to play a starring role in a unique behind the scenes project already seen at the likes of Manchester City, Wrexham, and Sunderland.
Hollywood director Sam Neave and producer Charles B. Wessler will record a feature-length documentary focusing on the journey of Partick Thistle and its dedicated fan base during the 2024-2025 season.
The film will follow the team's efforts to gain promotion back into the Scottish Premiership, the top division of the Scottish Professional Football League, after being relegated to the Championship at the end of the 2017-2018 campaign.
Neave's documentary aims to capture the passion, determination, and challenges faced by the club and its supporters as they strive to reclaim their place in the top tier of Scottish football.
By immersing himself in the day-to-day operations of Kris Doolan's side and the experiences of the fans, Neave will provide an intimate and compelling look at the highs and lows of their pursuit of promotion.
Through this project, Neave seeks to explore the deep-rooted connections between a community and its local football club, and the resilience and unwavering support that sustains them during times of adversity and triumph.
Explaining the idea, Neave said: “As sports fans we don’t always get to pick our teams. Watching my first match at Firhill Stadium wasn’t some glamorous event but it immediately made me want to tell the story of the relationship between these fans and their team.”
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More than 70% of Partick Thistle is owned by supporters, who have been working to improve the club's stability and performance in the SPFL without the backing of a wealthy individual owner.
The project will be executive produced by Donald McClymont, a lifelong lover of the Firhill outfit, who now holds a minority ownership stake in the club.
Speaking to US entertainment news website, Deadline, McClymont said: “Partick Thistle has been around for almost 150 years and there’s no doubt in my mind that we belong in the Premiership.”
"We’ve come desperately close to getting promoted the past two years and we’re all hoping this is the year we make it back up.”
Wessler called the story “the perfect antidote to the current climate of lavish spending and celebrity investors in football.”
“This is a team that understands nobody is coming to rescue them from above and a fanbase which knows better than to take victory for granted," he explained.
Wessler is an acclaimed film producer who has been involved in numerous successful projects throughout his career.
In 2019, he was recognized with the prestigious Best Picture Oscar for his work as a producer on the film Green Book.
Prior to his Oscar-winning achievement, Wessler had collaborated extensively with the Farrelly brothers on several iconic comedies, including Dumb and Dumber, There's Something About Mary, Me, Myself & Irene, Shallow Hal, and Dumb and Dumber To.
Most recently, Wessler produced the Apple Original Film, Palmer, which starred Justin Timberlake and was released in 2021.
Now he will hope this latest project, collaborating with Partick Thistle, further solidifies his reputation as a versatile and accomplished producer who has contributed to both critically acclaimed and commercially successful films over the years.
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Meanwhile, Neave has been actively involved in the film and video industry for the past two decades, working across various genres, including narrative, documentary, and art.
His most recent project was as a writer, producer, and editor on the second part of HBO's true-crime docuseries, The Jinx.
Neave has directed three feature films. His debut feature, Cry Funny Happy, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. Most recently, he directed the drama Almost in Love, which featured performances from acclaimed actors Alan Cumming and Alex Karpovsky.
