Director’s brother with Down Syndrome inspires crime thriller – New Zealand Down Syndrome Association (NZDSA)

Innocence is an award-wining short film, starring actors with Down syndrome, Tommy Jessop (BAFTA Nominated Coming Down The Mountain) and Bethany Asher (Wild Bill), which was released this week for World Down Syndrome Day.

Jessop and Asher play alongside Alice Lowe (EMMY Award-winning Black Mirror), Laurence Spellman (Ready Player One), Richard Glover (Rogue One), Bethany Asher (Wild Bill) and Faraz Ayub (Bodyguard).

Innocent is a film presented by Portsmouth Down Syndrome Association, is a fast-paced crime drama created by the BAFTA-nominated writer-director Ben Reid which is inspired by his brother Tom, who has Down syndrome.

This topical film, which shines a light for a more nuanced representation of disability on screen, has won high profile film awards including the Best Short Film at the London Lift-Off Film Festival, the Don Quixote award at the OSCAR qualifying 60th Kraków Film Festival and it was long-listed for a 2020 BAFTA.