Dundee to host two preview screenings of California Schemin' at the DCA
- Andrew Batchelor
- Feb 26
- 2 min read
Dundee Contemporary Arts will host two special preview screenings of California Schemin’ on Saturday 28 March, bringing the much-talked-about film back to the city where part of its story began.
The film, directed by James McAvoy, tells the stranger-than-fiction tale of Dundonian musicians Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd, who reinvented themselves as American rappers Silibil N’ Brains in a bid to break into the hip-hop scene in the early 2000s.
Partially filmed in Dundee, the movie charts the pair’s bold transformation and the unexpected twists that followed as they chased international stardom. Their story made headlines at the time and later inspired a book, before being adapted for the big screen.
David Nixon, Head of Cinema at Dundee Contemporary Arts, said he first saw the film at the Toronto International Film Festival and was eager to bring it to local audiences. He described the film as a “wild ride from start to finish” and encouraged people not to miss the chance to see Dundee represented on the big screen at DCA.
There will be two opportunities to see the film on 28 March. One screening will include a live Q&A with actor Séamus McLean Ross and musician and writer Billy Boyd, while the second will feature a special introduction from the pair. The events are expected to attract strong interest given the film’s local roots and the involvement of the original figures behind the story.
Tickets will be available to DCA Members, Friends and Patrons from midday on Thursday 26 February, with general sale opening at midday on Monday 2 March.
California Schemin’ will be released across the UK from Friday 10 April, with more screenings at DCA set to be announced in the coming weeks.
