Ashley Walters begins production on his debut feature film ‘Animol’

Published: January 29, 2025 — Critically acclaimed actor, director, producer and recording artist Ashley Walters (Top Boy, Missing You) has commenced production on his highly anticipated directorial feature debut, Animol. Drawing on his own experience, Ashley directs a searing portrayal of life within the confines of a Young Offenders’ Institution. Written by Nick Love (The Football Factory, A Town Called Malice), this raw and poignant coming-of-age story highlights the power of humanity in the midst of adversity.

Animol was developed by Film4 in collaboration with Joi Productions. Sky is collaborating with Film4 for the first time as co-financiers on the project, with the BFI (awarding National Lottery funding) also financing. Bankside Films are handling international sales for the film.

Animol boasts a cast of upcoming talent, with Tut Nyuot and Vladyslav Baliuk starring as two teenagers embroiled in the prison’s harsh environment. Stephen Graham (Help, Boiling Point, The Virtues) joins the supporting cast as a Welfare Officer tasked with supporting the young offenders during their incarceration. Sharon Duncan-Brewster (Dune: Part One, Enola Holmes 2) rounds off the casting line-up.

In a comment on Animol’s inception, director Ashley Walters has said: “Nick and I have worked together before and always wanted to create something bold—something that sparks conversation while delivering visual beauty. ANIMOL is deeply personal to me. It explores the struggle of being your authentic self in a world that often pressures you to conform—one of life’s greatest challenges. At its heart, this is a story about survival and the safety found in true connection. It’s not about the ‘what’; it’s about the ‘why.’ I couldn’t be more excited to bring my debut feature to life with such an incredible team.”

Julia Stuart, Director of Original Film at Sky, said: “Ashley and Nick’s passion for ‘Animol’ shone through from the get-go – and we knew with our partners at Film4, Joi Productions and the BFI, we could create something special. It’s fantastic to see the stellar cast of best-of-British and emerging talent now bringing this powerful story to life, which promises to deliver a captivating viewing experience.”

Ollie Madden, Director of Film4 and Channel 4 Drama comments: “Ashley, Nick, Joy, Tom and team have been carefully developing this project with us for almost six years, and we couldn’t be happier that it’s finally ready to go into production. Ashley’s vision for the film is incredibly compelling and I’m confident his first feature as a director will be a knock-out. It’s also very exciting to be embarking on the first ever collaboration between Film4, BFI and Sky.”

Louise Ortega, Senior Production and Development Executive at the BFI, said: “We’re excited to support Ashley in his directorial debut, and Nick and Joi Productions on this propulsive, thrilling and urgently humanising feature. We believe this collaboration with Film4 and Sky can bring in a whole new audience for a UK independent film.”

The film is produced by Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor (Blue Story, Boxing Day) and Tom Hawkins (True History of the Kelly Gang) from Joi Productions, an independent London-based production company focused on telling stories which are Black, Queer and Female-led, in association with Walter’s production outfit SLNDA and Love’s outfit Rogue State.

Production is working in close collaboration with the Synergy Theatre Project and Intermission Youth Theatre, to give opportunities as supporting artists to those at risk of entering the criminal justice system.

Julia Stuart, Laura Grange and Sabrina Parmar are executive producing for Sky, Ollie Madden and David Kimbangi for Film4 and Louise Ortega for BFI.