Selected from more than 8,000 submissions, ECHOES was nominated for an Oscar-qualifying award at HollyShorts, placing Alex Lanipekun’s London-set drama among the festival’s standout films of 2026.
Written, directed and produced by Alex Lanipekun, ECHOES stars Ashley Walters (Adolescence, Top Boy), Nathalie Emmanuel (Game of Thrones, Fast & Furious), Emmett J. Scanlan (MobLand, Fool Me Once) and Leo Gregory (Wild Bill, Stoned).
The film is produced by three-time Emmy Award nominee Nathalie Emmanuel and executive produced by acclaimed actor and producer Nicholas Pinnock, 2026 Academy Award nominees Lee Knight and James Dean (A Friend of Dorothy), Francesca Dutton and Oliver Trevena.
The producing team also includes BAFTA-nominated producer Stephanie Charmail, alongside Emmanuel, Tommy Popps and O. Valerie Nicholas for Thoro Artists, with an original score by Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter Al Shux.
Set in London, ECHOES explores male friendship, mental health, childhood trauma and the long shadow of abuse through the story of Andre (Walters) and Robert (Gregory), two men whose lives unexpectedly intersect as they confront a shared boarding school past.
As buried memories resurface, the film examines what happens when trauma follows boys into adulthood, the ways men learn to conceal pain, and whether confronting the past can finally create the possibility of healing.
Lanipekun co-founded UK production company Rebel Island with Emmanuel. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and recipient of the Carlton Hobbs Award, his acting credits include Domina, The Rising, Homeland, 24and Spooks: MI5.
As a filmmaker, he previously wrote, directed and produced the award-winning short RUN, starring Aneurin Barnard, Nathalie Emmanuel, Wunmi Mosaku, Nicholas Pinnock and Jonathan Pryce. The film received the ScreenCraft Fund Award and Ischia Global Film Festival Art Award. He followed with SYCORAXE, which screened internationally.
Walters recently received BAFTA Television, Emmy, Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award nominations for his performance in Netflix’s Adolescence and is internationally recognised for his portrayal of Dushane in Top Boy. He stars in ECHOES as Andre.
Gregory, who plays Robert, is known for Wild Bill, Stoned, Green Street and BAFTA-winning The Mark of Cain, while Scanlan stars as Mr. Dolor following roles in MobLand, Fool Me Once, Kin, Peaky Blinders and A Working Man.
Emmanuel, best known internationally for Game of Thrones and the Fast & Furious franchise, also appears in the film. Through Rebel Island, she and Lanipekun are developing bold, inclusive stories while supporting emerging filmmaking talent.
Armani Beauty has also partnered on the film as well as fashion house Giorgio Armani providing costumes.
Mind UK is an official supporter of the film, with Pinnock serving as an ambassador for the charity. The production also supports Brixton Wings, which empowers young people through creativity, education and community engagement, and is supported by the Giustra Foundation.
With its Oscar qualification, HollyShorts recognition and ensemble of internationally acclaimed British talent, ECHOESnow heads into the 2026–27 awards season.
