Con O’Neill (The Batman, Chernobyl, Our Flag Means Death – left pic) leads the cast in Being Billy, a new Manchester-made short film about a Falklands War veteran struggling with dementia and living in a care home.
In the latest film from Manchester production house MancMade, a brief connection with new carer Lisa stirs memories in Billy, taking him back to the closing stages of the Falklands War in 1982 and a life changing incident that took place for him, his close friend (and fellow Para) Stu and Argentinian soldier Pablo. Memories from the past help guide Billy through the fog of dementia and re-connect him to the present.
O’Neill leads a cast that also includes Becky Bowe (Treading Water, Boat Story), George Osborne (The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin), Lisa Whiteside (Brassic) and Trevor Dwyer-Lynch (Looking for Eric, The Visit).
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Being Billy was written and produced by Paul Ludden (right pic, right), exec-produced by Jack Reacher author Lee Child (right pic, left) and directed by Ian Puleston-Davies (Bolan’s Shoes). Filming took place at THG Studios in Manchester last year.
Lee Child, executive producer of Being Billy, said: “Being Billy is a jewel – emotionally intelligent, historically sensitive – and exactly what I would expect from a writer as good as Paul Ludden”
Writer and Producer Ludden added: “I wrote the character of Billy with Con O’Neill in my head so having Con involved has been amazing. His performance is breathtaking – funny, poignant and hugely emotional.
He continued: “Having Lee Child back as exec-producer (Lee also exec-produced our first short film, The Visit) was fantastic, allowing me to pull together a great mix of industry experience and emerging talent.
“Lee’s continued support for my writing means so much personally and is a massive boost for MancMade Productions as we continue to create authentically original, independent films.
“My wish is that Being Billy can raise a few smiles, maybe the odd tear from a bit of genuine human connection and hopefully.. a little hope for people who have family or friends struggling with dementia.”
MancMade Productions is an award-winning independent film and TV production company based in Manchester. Past films include The Visit (2023) and Gone Fishing (2025).
