The Animals (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Written and directed by Calvin Demba, The Animals is an 18-minute British comedy-drama short about insecurity, heroism and a boyfriend’s determination to protect the woman he loves after another man is praised as a hero.

The Animals is a 2026 British short film written and directed by Calvin Demba. Blending comedy and drama, it centers on an insecure boyfriend who becomes determined to demonstrate that he can protect the woman he loves.

With an 18-minute runtime, the film focuses on a compact emotional and situational premise. Its cast includes George MacKay, Louisa Harland, Nathalie Emmanuel and Eric Kofi Abrefa.

The Animals movie details

Story without spoilers

The story follows Miles, an insecure boyfriend whose feelings are unsettled after another man is hailed as a hero. Determined to prove that he, too, can protect Remona, the woman he loves, Miles is drawn into a situation shaped by questions of courage, identity and romantic insecurity. The supplied genre and keywords indicate a darkly comic element alongside the drama, with a home-invasion context and gender-related tensions at the center of the premise.

What to expect

The Animals can be approached as a short comedy-drama built around a sharply defined personal conflict. Its premise places romantic insecurity and the desire to be seen as protective at the forefront, while the supplied keywords point to dark comedy, home invasion, emasculation and gender ideology as important aspects of its setup. At 18 minutes, it presents this material in a concise format rather than as a feature-length story.

Cast and creative team

George MacKay plays Miles, the insecure boyfriend at the center of the story, while Louisa Harland plays Remona. Nathalie Emmanuel appears as Gabby, and Eric Kofi Abrefa plays John. Calvin Demba serves as both director and writer, giving the film a single credited creative voice behind its premise and execution.

• George MacKay as Miles
• Louisa Harland as Remona
• Nathalie Emmanuel as Gabby
• Eric Kofi Abrefa as John

Release and production context

The Animals is listed as a United Kingdom production in English. It has an 18-minute runtime and is associated with Off Beat Pictures. The supplied release date is October 16, 2026, and the film is listed as released. Its genres are comedy and drama, and it is classified as a short film.

Production companies: Off Beat Pictures

Reported production figures:
Budget $60,000

Movies Dock view

The Animals offers a compact premise about romantic insecurity and the pressure to prove one’s courage. With Calvin Demba credited as both writer and director and a cast led by George MacKay and Louisa Harland, the film frames its relationship-centered conflict through comedy and drama rather than a conventional feature-length structure.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb