“Skintown” brings a 1990s escape caper to the Edinburgh International Film Festival, starring Jack Rowan and Chris Walley

A new caper film set during the Troubles era is preparing to open at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, with The Hollywood Reporter publishing an exclusive clip ahead of the movie’s run in competition later this week. The film is titled “Skintown,” and the early footage spotlights characters played by Jack Rowan and Chris Walley as they attempt to pull off an escape amid the period’s heightened tensions in Northern Ireland.

“Skintown” is written and directed by Kieron J. Walsh, who frames the story around a 1990s timeline and builds the conflict around the practical pressures of carrying out a plan in a place defined by instability. The clip, released by the trade publication, is positioned as an advance look at how the escape element of the plot unfolds, focusing on the mechanics of the getaway rather than broad historical exposition.

Rowan and Walley are the film’s prominently featured cast members in the released material, with the clip emphasizing their characters’ movement and decision-making during the attempt to leave their circumstances behind. The movie’s genre framing as a caper suggests the escape is not only a matter of physical departure, but also a sequence shaped by timing, coordination, and the risks of being discovered.

The movie’s festival entry places it before an international audience through a competitive slate at Edinburgh. The Hollywood Reporter’s coverage describes the premiere window as arriving later in the week, aligning “Skintown” with other works selected for screening at the festival rather than a public wide release schedule.

Because the film is presented as a story anchored to the Troubles-torn context of Northern Ireland, it is expected to engage audiences with the period’s social and security environment as part of the setting for a crime-leaning narrative. The released clip serves as the earliest preview of how that environment is translated to the screen, including how characters move through a landscape associated with the era’s conflicts.

No additional distribution details were provided in the coverage accompanying the exclusive clip, including whether a theatrical or streaming release is tied to the festival dates. For viewers, the immediate next step is to watch “Skintown” during its competitive presentation at the Edinburgh International Film Festival later this week, where the full story and performances will replace the limited preview footage.

Ahead of those screenings, the clip is also likely to set expectations for the film’s tonal mix: a 1990s caper premise with an escape plot element, built around characters navigating a volatile Northern Ireland backdrop. Festival audiences will be able to judge how the film balances suspense and period atmosphere once the full runtime begins screening in Edinburgh.