Innocence is a fast-paced crime-drama created by BAFTA nominated writer-director Ben Reid, and inspired by his brother Tom, who has Down syndrome. This topical film challenges stereotypes in a dramatic and groundbreaking way, shining a light on the need for a more nuanced representation of disability on screen.
Synopsis: When a worker falls to his death at a care home, it appears to be a terrible accident. But when a detective questions a young man with Down syndrome spotted at the scene, they uncover a crime more shocking than anyone imagined. Innocence was nominated for the Silver Dragon for Best International Short Film at the Oscar-qualifying 60th Kraków Film Festival.
The Official Trailer for Innocence by Ben Reid
The stellar cast includes Tommy Jessop (BAFTA Nominated Coming Down The Mountain), Alice Lowe (BAFTA award-winning Inside No. 9 and the EMMY award-winning Black Mirror), Laurence Spellman (Ready Player One), Richard Glover (Rogue One), Bethany Asher (Wild Bill), and Faraz Ayub (Bodyguard).
This live-action short has been selected for over twenty film festivals, including Foyle Film Festival, Aesthetica Film Festival, and was long-listed for a 2020 BAFTA. Innocence has won numerous high-profile film awards including the Best Short Film at the London Lift-Off Film Festival, Best Ensemble Cast at the Lift-Off Global Network Season Awards, Best Drama at Short to the Point, and more.
Producer Ken Ross is an award-winning filmmaker, with films like My Feral Heart. After having his son Max, who has Down syndrome, Ken has spent fifteen years making positive changes for diversity and inclusion. He is a trustee for Portsmouth Down Syndrome Association and is currently working with BAFTA, NHS, UCL, NTU, and the British government to promote equal rights and opportunities.
Producer Tibo Travers is the founder of Sweetdoh, a production company behind a slate of short films that have screened and been awarded at festivals including Palm Springs, Galway Fleadh, Raindance, Sundance London, and Encounters. His films have sold worldwide to Vice, Canal+, and RTÉ.
Ben works in the fields of drama, documentary, and commercials. Over the last decade, his work has received EMMY, Grierson, RTS, and BAFTA nominations and awards. Broadcasters of his films include BBC, Channel 4, Sky, National Geographic, Discovery, NBC, and NETFLIX. A supporter of inclusion in the arts, Ben was inspired by his brother with Down syndrome, to make the 2019 crime thriller INNOCENCE. It stars Tommy Jessop, the first-ever actor with Down Syndrome to be selected for BAFTA Elevate, and is currently playing in film festivals around the world.
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