EXCLUSIVE: Sunshine on Leith star to lead feature from producer Stephen Malit.

Peter Mullan is to star as a homeless man in new drama Victor, which is set to shoot in the UK for five weeks from Feb 3.

Sunshine on Leith and Tyrannosaur star Mullan will play a homeless man who, after living on motorways for years, sets out on a road trip incorporating Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool and London.

While he encounters cruelty and indifference, he also finds compassion and generosity, friendship and humour. As his journey nears its end, the past he has been trying to escape finally catches up with him.

Writer-director Jake Gavin makes his feature debut, while My Brother the Devil DoP David Raedeker will light the film.

Victor is produced by Stephen Malit, producer of Julien Temple documentary London - The Modern Babylon, and is set to be the first production backed by Nyman Libson Paul’s Goldfinch Pictures venture. Co-producer is Simon Mallinson. Additional funding comes from individual investors and the UK tax credit.

Executive producers are Goldfinch’s Kirsty Bell and Ahmad Ahmadzadeh of Aimimage Productions, one of the producers of iLL Manors.

Malit told Screen: “Victor raises important questions about homelessness. The film is all about Victor’s journey and the slow reveal of Victor’s character but it’s also about love and there are some light-hearted moments despite the journey being in bleakest winter.”

Writer-director Gavin was inspired to write the script after volunteering for charity Crisis at Christmas.

“We’ve worked with a number of NGO’s to get the message right,” added Malit.