Set in the mid-1990s, the story follows the titular headteacher as he fights to protect the integrity of his workplace – a boys’ reform school for troubled students with behavioural and societal difficulties – while also grappling with his own mental health.
In parallel to Steve’s (Cillian) struggles, we meet Shy (Jay Lycurgo), a troubled teen caught between his past and what lies ahead, as he tries to reconcile his inner fragility with his impulse for self-destruction and violence.
Steve is a reimagining of the 2023 novella Shy written by Max Porter, who also contributed to the film.
Cillian previously collaborated with Max on the 2019 play Grief Is the Thing with Feathers, based on his 2015 novel of the same name.
In an interview, the author revealed how the two reunited to build the film and character through conversations.
“Cillian had got back off the very intense period of work he’d been doing, and said, ‘Would you consider writing me something again?’” Max recalled.
“I had just come off the Shy book tour, people were standing up saying ‘I’m a teacher or carer or run a facility for kids comparable to this’. Their feedback was the thing that was most generative for me and most interesting. So I had this idea that we could rewrite the whole book, twist it on its axis from Steve’s point of view,” he added.
Starring alongside Cillian and Jay are Tracey Ullman, Simni Ajikawo and Emily Watson.
Max serves as the writer as well as an executive producer. Alan Moloney, Cillian and Tina Pawlik are producers. Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow composed the music for the film.
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