For years now, Ashley Walters has been a stalwart of British screens, in cinemas and acclaimed TV dramas too. In more recent years, he was one of the
For years now, Ashley Walters has been a stalwart of British screens, in cinemas and acclaimed TV dramas too. In more recent years, he was one of the headline performers in the all-time-great Top Boy, starred in two episodes of instant classic Adolescence, and appeared in Steven Knight’s A Thousand Blows too – a show on which he also directed three episodes. Now, Walters has made his directorial feature debut with Animol, a tough and tender prison drama, in which Tut Nyuot’s Troy finds himself facing up to the harshness of life behind bars. Check out the trailer exclusively here:
Walters has long proved himself a talent in front of the cameras, and this looks like a striking and stylish film as director. As well as Nyuot – who you’ll recognise from The Long Walk, and the Cillian Murphy-starring Steve – Walters’ film features the ever-great Stephen Graham, in something of an Adolescence reunion, as well as Dune’s Sharon Duncan-Brewster. “I’d always make a movie because I want to entertain people but it’s important that it creates a conversation, and I really do think Animol will,” says Walters. “I want to show this genre of film in a different light to what we’ve seen before in the UK. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve created and I am excited for audiences to get a taste of Animol in our new trailer ahead of the premiere at London Film Festival.”
Here’s the official synopsis: “Behind the walls of a juvenile detention centre, Troy is thrust into a brutal world of gangs, loyalty, and violence. From the moment he arrives, he is tested. Paired with a volatile cellmate, Troy is forced to deal with daily threats and power struggles. An unspoken bond with a fellow inmate offers solace in the oppressive environment, but their growing connection becomes a dangerous vulnerability.”
Animol is coming to cinemas soon – and will be screening at the BFI London Film Festival on October 11.
