Glasgow Film Festival 2025 - Tornado World Premiere Interviews

The opening night of the 2025 Glasgow Film Festival experienced the world premiere of Scotland's John Maclean’s highly anticipated second feature, Tornado. The film, a unique blend of British historical drama and samurai-inspired action, captivated audiences with its striking cinematography, gripping performances, and a genre-bending narrative. Against the backdrop of 1790s Britain, the film follows Tornado, a young Japanese woman who travels the country with her father’s samurai puppet show. When she seizes an opportunity to steal gold from a ruthless gang led by Sugarman (Tim Roth) and his son, Little Sugar (Jack Lowden), a desperate escape ensues, setting off a violent and emotional chain of events.

For Maclean, returning to filmmaking after his acclaimed debut Slow West the premiere marked the culmination of years of creative development. “It’s always exciting to bring a film to a festival audience,” he shared. “Glasgow has a great energy, and it feels right to unveil Tornado here.”

From Reservoir Dogs to the Wilds of 18th-Century Britain

Tim Roth, a veteran of intense, morally ambiguous characters, brings an imposing presence to Tornado as the menacing Sugarman. Reflecting on the importance of film festivals, Roth noted how they have shaped independent cinema:

“Sundance with Reservoir Dogs in 1992 was the beginning of what they called the independent movement and all of that, and then they quickly killed that off. So what we're kind of hoping is that there is still a life for filmmaking sticking around, and this is a good example of us trying to do that.”

Discussing his approach to playing Sugarman, Roth admitted that the film’s historical setting took some unexpected turns. “I wasn’t quite sure at times what period it was set in,” he said with a laugh. “The costume department was astounding—crossing different eras and playing with modern elements. So, whereas I would normally come in thinking, ‘I understand this character,’ this time I thought, ‘I’ll just let it go completely.’”

That freedom extended to the film’s fast-paced, low-budget shoot. “John had to shoot it in 25 days and didn’t have much money to make it, and we all went at it wildly,” Roth recalled. “We had a good time. We gave him hell—it was good.”

A Reunion with Maclean and the Scottish Highlands

For Rory McCann, known to many as the formidable Sandor ‘The Hound’ Clegane from Game of Thrones, Tornado marked a long-awaited reunion with Maclean after Slow West. “I would say that's probably the happiest film I've ever done,” McCann reflected. “And then ten years later, I got the script for Tornado. I didn’t even need to read it—I was in.”

Filming in Scotland presented challenges, but McCann embraced them. “There were so many shots every day, in terrible weather—you’ll hear all these poncy actors talking about the cold and everything,” he joked. “But in reality, although I was part of the cast, I was the only guy that didn’t have a jacket. But I survived.”

McCann was also thrilled to work alongside Roth. “Back in 1999, I think I crashed his party when he was promoting his own film,” he revealed. “And now, 20-odd years later, I’m actually on stage with him. It’s a great story.”

Fatherhood

One of the film’s most striking themes is the contrast between Sugarman’s deeply flawed parenting and Tornado’s own relationship with her father. Roth reflected on this dynamic:

“He’s a bad parent. Yes. He’s a bad example and a bad parent. So that’s kind of mirrored with Koki’s experience and her father and all that. So it flows through the film, that’s for sure. It’s not everything, but the whole thing is triggered by Koki’s thievery. But it’s how the two parents and two sort of siblings react accordingly, and it’s a slight family.”

Roth’s portrayal of Sugarman isn’t just about villainy—it’s about how a parent’s actions shape their children, whether intentionally or not. The film’s exploration of familial bonds, both toxic and loving, adds an emotional weight to its thrilling narrative.

Robbie Ryan’s Masterful Lens

The film’s cinematography, led by two-time Oscar nominee Robbie Ryan (The Favourite, Poor Things), adds a visual poetry to Tornado, capturing the rugged beauty of Scotland while infusing it with the spirit of classic samurai cinema. Maclean, who has collaborated with Ryan across multiple projects, described their working relationship as instinctive:

“We don’t have to talk to each other on set. We’re good friends off set, and then as soon as we’re on set, I just let him get on with it. We’ve got our guidelines—I know I want certain things, stacked camera, deep focus—but the rest of it was a mixture of talented Robbie, a beautiful cast, and Scotland’s landscapes.”

The Art of Storytelling

A key theme of Tornado is the way morality is perceived in storytelling. One particularly striking line from the film “Why do they cheer evil?” asks Tornado, to which Fujin replies, “Because good is boring “was a deliberate commentary, Maclean explained:

“It’s a comment on cinema as well. I was thinking about what violence means in cinema and the fact that a lot of the films I love can be violent, and audiences can cheer for it. But I think there’s a catharsis in violence, you know? That idea that ‘good can be boring.’”

Music

Maclean, a former musician with The Beta Band, also ensured that Tornado’s score played a pivotal role. “I think it really helps when working with the composer because I can talk the same language as them,” he said. “I wanted the score to be melodic but still serve the picture, the tension, and the drama. When I started getting the music back, I was so excited because it was better than I ever imagined.”
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Celebrating Independent Cinema
With Tornado, John Maclean has crafted a film that honours the samurai genre while bringing fresh perspectives to historical storytelling. The world premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival was not just a celebration of the film itself, but also of the enduring power of independent cinema. As Roth aptly put it, “We’re hoping that it will become a bit habit-forming and that we can all be a part of it.”


- Lee Hutchison with Dallas King