The Beast Within (2024)
Official Synopsis
After a series of strange events leads her to question her family’s isolated life on a fortified compound deep in the English wilds, 10-year-old Willow follows her parents on one of their secret late-night treks to the heart of the ancient forest. But upon witnessing her father undergo a terrible transformation, she too becomes ensnared by the dark ancestral secret they’ve tried so desperately to conceal.
Director’s Statement
“THE BEAST WITHIN is more than just a horror film; it is a journey through the pivotal and formative years of a child named Willow, exploring how she navigates a life shaped by trauma and disturbing family secrets. This film is deeply personal to me, as both its writer and director, drawing inspiration from real events that resonate with profound emotional depth.
As a narrative woven around the horrors of family life, this movie delves into the complexities of trauma from Willow’s perspective. It reflects on the promises parents make to keep their children safe—a promise that, as Willow discovers, can sometimes falter under the weight of reality. Her journey of losing faith in her parents and learning to rely on herself poses fundamental questions about safety and trust within the family unit.
In crafting compelling horror, the key lies in fully realized characters whose experiences and perils genuinely matter to the audience. Although THE BEAST WITHIN incorporates supernatural elements, at its core are real people grappling with severe, relatable issues that affect countless families worldwide. The horror in this film is not just in its scares but in the intensity of its real-world implications. This film is an exploration of domestic abuse, where the genre and its monster serve as metaphors that drive the narrative into the depths of this complex issue. My hope is that this film will not only engage and terrify but also evoke empathy and discussion among a diverse audience, encouraging a deeper understanding of the real horrors that can pervade everyday life.”
– Alexander J. Farrell
Alexander fell in love with film as a child, his first work being published at the age of twelve where he won an international “young writers” competition. After being awarded a scholarship in NYC, Alexander gained his degree in film in 2013 and then moved to Los Angeles.
He then went on to make documentary films, the first being, REFUGEE, a groundbreaking feature-length documentary, produced by the team behind Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling for Columbine. Refugee records the perilous journey traveled by Syrian refugees. Crossing over 2000 miles and ten countries the film follows the story of one family, desperate to be united after being separated by war.
REFUGEE was released in spring 2020 and is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime. Alexander’s latest documentary MAKING A KILLING exposes the heavy injustices that medical insurance companies have been trying to keep a secret for over forty-five years, now available on Amazon Prime (US).
Most recently Alexander wrote and directed the horror film, THE BEAST WITHIN (Well Go USA Entertainment & Universal Studios) starring Kit Harington. The film was selected for the main competition at the Fantasia Film Festival, where it will premiere summer of 2024. Alex wrote the hit film HOW TO DATE BILLY WALSH, starring Nick Frost, Lucy Punch, and Tanner Buchanan for Amazon Studios. The film rose to number two globally on the platform and held that position for several weeks.
Currently, Alexander is working with Altitude Entertainment (TALK TO ME) writing an original franchise;
He is developing a sci-fi franchise with Ric Roman Waugh (GREENLAND, ANGEL HAS FALLEN); and is set to direct his next film in collaboration with producer Brian Kavanaugh Jones (INSIDIOUS, SINISTER).
For television, Alexander has written multiple pilots and developed concepts with leading production companies and broadcasters such as Urban Myth (WAR OF THE WORLDS) and Big Light Productions (THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE).
Other key pieces include winning the David Attenborough Climate Change Award for Getty Images.
Some of Alexander’s commercial clients include Playstation, YSL, and Spotify. Alexander is represented by RSA, UTA, and United Agents.
Kit Harington (Actor – Noah)
Born in London, Kit Harington studied drama and theatre at the Central School of Speech & Drama, a constituent of the University of London. Before graduating in 2008, he won the lead role of Albert in the Royal National Theatre’s London production of the smash hit WAR HORSE. The production transferred to London’s West End at the New London Theatre, and he stayed with the role until 2009 after which he appeared in POSH by Laura Wade, at the Royal Court Theatre in London. Harington made his West End return in Sam Shepard’s modern classic, TRUE WEST.
Previous theatre credits include Sam Shepard’s modern classic, TRUE WEST, and HENRY V at the Donmar Warehouse.
Harington starred as Jon Snow in the critically acclaimed and Emmy award-winning HBO drama series GAME OF THRONES. In 2016, he received his first Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and 2019, he received his second Emmy nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series. In 2020, Harington received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Drama Series. His most recent TV projects include Amazon’s MODERN LOVE and Netflix’s CRIMINAL. In 2018, Harington transitioned into the role of Executive Producer on a miniseries titled GUNPOWDER. Harington played his real-life ancestor on his mother’s side, Catholic rebel Robert Catesby who was part of
the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, the failed scheme by Roman Catholic militants to blow up the House of Lords in London. The series also starred Peter Mullan, Mark Gatiss, and Liv Tyler. Past film projects include Magnolia’s BABY RUBY Marvel’s ETERNALS, the HBO sports mockumentary 7 DAYS IN HELL, Sony Pictures Classics drama TESTAMENT OF YOUTH, and the big-screen adaptation of the hit British spy series SPOOKS: THE GREATER GOOD. He also lent his voice to the animated film HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2, which won the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film in 2014 and received an Academy Award nomination.
Ashleigh Cummings (Actor – Imogen)
Ashleigh Cummings stars in the Russo Brothers’ highly anticipated series CITADEL opposite Richard Madden, Priyanka Chopra, Stanley Tucci, and Lesley Manville. The high-concept, action-packed thriller is set after the fall of the spy organization as the agents must attempt to piece together what happened. This franchise attracted one of the largest global audiences in Amazon’s history and premiered at number 1 in over 200 countries. Ashleigh also starred alongside Kit Harington and Caoilinn Springall in the upcoming thriller THE BEAST WITHIN.
Most recently, she led the cast of NOS4A2 opposite Zach Quinto and Ebon Moss-Bachrach for AMC. Based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Joe Hill, NOS4A2 follows a young female artist named Vic McQueen (Ashleigh Cummings), who discovers she has a supernatural connection with Charlie Manx (Zachary Quinto), a seemingly immortal man who feeds off the souls of children. Ashleigh can also be seen in Warner Bros. Pictures’ THE GOLDFINCH opposite Ansel Elgort and Nicole Kidman. The film was directed by award-winning filmmaker John Crowley and the all-star cast also includes Finn Wolfhard, Sarah Paulson, and Jeffrey Wright. Before that, Ashleigh received critical acclaim for her performance in the crime thriller HOUNDS OF LOVE, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. The film was announced as one of the top three films in the Venice Days section and Ashleigh was awarded a Fedora Award for Best Actress.
Ashleigh’s previous television work includes the Australian series MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES and PUBERTY BLUES, which garnered her both Logie & AACTA Award nominations for her leading performance.
Ashleigh is also a previous recipient of the prestigious Heath Ledger Scholarship award. She is currently based in Los Angeles, California.
James Cosmo (Actor – Waylon)
Most recently, James Cosmo can be seen in a leading role in the feature film MY SAILOR MY LOVE, directed by Klaus Haro, which premiered at the Dublin International Film Festival and won the award for Best Irish Feature Film.
James also recently finished filming a leading role in the third season of Amazon Prime series JACK RYAN. He also can be seen in a leading role in SIX FOUR, a 4-part miniseries for ITV which is a Scottish adaptation of the Japanese crime novel of the same name.
He can be seen in the role of Farder Coram in the BBC/HBO production of HIS DARK MATERIALS. Also plays Bruce Senior in David Mackenzie’s OUTLAW KING, which premiered at Toronto and London Film Festival in 2018.
James also starred in THE NAME OF THE ROSE opposite John Turturro, which aired on BBC. Notable early film roles: HIGHLANDER, BRAVEHEART, TRAINSPOTTING, THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA and THE LAST LEGION, THE FOUR FEATHERS and TROY—and more recently, the MGM movie BEN HUR, directed by Timur Bekmambetov, and the independent film THE ASHES IN THE SNOW with Bel Powley. His independent work in film has garnered him two prestigious prizes in recent years – he won the BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Actor for his performance in Morag McKinnon’s DONKEYS (part of the ADVANCE party Trilogy), as well as Best Performance in a British Feature Film for his stunning performance in THE PYRAMID TEXTS.
Notable TV includes SONS OF ANARCHY and as Commander Mormont in GAME OF THRONES.
Other recent television work: SHETLAND, the BBC 3 comedy-drama STAG, THE DURRELLS, and due for imminent release THE COLLECTION for Amazon and a leading role in the BBC 5-part thriller SS-GB, based on the 1978 novel written by Len Deighton.
Caoillinn Springall (Actor – Willow)
Caoilinn is currently 11 years old. Her breakout role was playing the co-lead opposite George Clooney in the Netflix feature THE MIDNIGHT SKY, for which she was nominated for Best Performance by a Young Actor at the Critics Circle Awards 2021.
In addition to her leading role in Alexander J. Farrell’s THE BEAST WITHIN opposite Kit Harington, Ashleigh Cummings, and James Cosmo, her other credits include the Amazon Studios series CITADEL. She plays opposite Richard Madden and Stanley Tucci.
She also can be seen starring in a leading role opposite Aisling Francoisi in STOP MOTION.
Harewood Woods & Castle
“The oldest building at Harewood is Harewood Castle. A major programme of repair and consolidation of the surviving structure took place in 2004 and 2005, with financial support from English Heritage and the Harewood Estate. A considerable body of new information, both architectural and archaeological, was gathered which has prompted a number of new interpretations, as well as challenging some of the existing theories.
A ‘license to crenelate’ (to fortify) was granted to Sir William de Aldeburgh in 1366, shortly after he became lord of the manor of Harewood. Substantial earthworks around the ruins of the castle (still only partially explored) indicate there were earlier buildings on the site, but de Aldeburgh made a decision to demolish and replace whatever was there with something brand new—fore-shadowing Gawthorpe Hall and Harewood House some 400 years later.
Harewood Castle was designed to strike a balance between security and comfort: a ‘mixture of convenience and magnificence,’ more accurately described as a fortified Tower House than a castle. Some of its features – the portcullis over the main entrance, the narrow arrow-slit windows, and the remains of metal grilles over the larger windows – indicate a concern for defense. Others were primarily about comfort, aesthetics, or status. The mullioned and transomed window frames, for example, are fine examples of 14th-century mason’s skills and though the massively thick walls would have made the castle eminently defensible, they also contained an elaborate network of internal walkways, stairs, and flues. Even the dramatic setting on a steep north-facing slope with spectacular views up and down Wharfedale, was as much about status as security: early sighting of any approaching trouble certainly, but also dominating the immediate landscape
in a way designed to impress. Surrounding it or attached to it would have been other buildings such as barns and stables, as well as landscaped gardens, designed for leisure as much as practicality. When de Aldeburgh’s son died in 1391, he left no male heir and the estate passed to his two daughters, Sybil and Elizabeth. They and their husbands Sir William Ryther and Sir Richard Redmayne shared occupation of the castle, either simultaneously or in a 14th-century version of time-share, an arrangement the two families continued for more than 200 years.
The last resident was Robert Ryther, who retired to his wife’s family’s estate in Lincolnshire around 1630. By 1657, when the amalgamated Harewood and Gawthorpe estates were bought by Sir John Cutler, the castle was falling down and uninhabitable. Did the Rythers simply lock the door and walk away, leaving the building to its fate, its stone and timbers to be cannibalized for use elsewhere on the estate, its gardens to become neglected and overgrown, its ornamental ponds to silt up and drain away? Perhaps it had simply become too old-fashioned, unmanageable, and uncomfortable to live in anymore. Nobody knows.”
– Harewood.org, Harewood Castle https://harewood.org/explore/gardens-and-grounds/the-castle/
Executive Producers
Walter Josten, Joseph Wagner
