EXCLUSIVE: Ashley Walters will star in Echoes, a short film written and directed by Alex Lanipekun that counts Nicholas Pinnock among its executive producers. Nathalie Emmanuel (Game of Thrones), Emmett J. Scanlan (MobLand) and Leo Gregory (Wild Bill) also star alongside Walters, who has enjoyed huge success with Adolescence and Top Boy.
Per the synopsis, Echoes follows two men, Andre (Walters) and Robert (Gregory), whose lives unexpectedly intersect as they confront the lasting impact of their boarding school past, and as buried memories resurface.
The team behind the London-set film said Echoes is an exploration of male friendship, mental health and childhood trauma. Mental health charity Mind is officially supporting the short. Fashion house Armani is also backing the film, providing bespoke costumes.
Pinnock exec produces Echoes with Lee Knight and James Dean, who are both coming off the success of Oscar-nominated short A Friend of Dorothy, starring Miriam Margolyes, Alistair Nwachukwu and Stephen Fry. Francesca Dutton and Oliver Trevena also exec produce.
Lanipekun, who is also an actor, has appeared in Domina, Homeland and 24. He wrote and directed Echoes and also produces through Rebel Island, the banner that he founded with Emmanuel. His previous short films include Run, which starred Aneurin Barnard, Nathalie Emmanuel, Wunmi Mosaku, Nicholas Pinnock and Jonathan Pryce, and he is currently working on film and TV projects.
The producing team on Echoes includes BAFTA-nominated Stephanie Charmail, Emmanuel, Tommy Popps and O. Valerie Nicholas. Grammy-winning producer and songwriter Al Shux provides the short film’s score.
