NICK ROWLAND
After leaving behind a motorsport career in rallying, Rowland studied at Arts University Bournemouth, where his graduate film DANCING IN THE ASHES (2012) received a Royal Television Society Award for ‘Best Student Fiction’. He then went on to study directing at the National Film and Television School. His short film work earned him critical acclaim from Sundance Film Festival to BAFTA. His eclectic and engaging array of short films explore varying genres and narratives — from psychological thriller OUT OF SIGHT (2014) to coming-of-age drama SLAP (2014) — the latter earning him a BAFTA nomination in 2015. CALM WITH HORSES is his debut feature film.

Director's statement
"At first glance, CALM WITH HORSES can be seen as a tense crime thriller, which has one foot planted in visceral genre filmmaking. However, the heart of the film is about loyalty, family and fatherhood. It is a film about how bad relationships dictate the life of the abused and sedate their self-awareness through fear and habit. I wanted to explore how a community can misunderstand, or even take advantage of vulnerable people, and show how it's also possible to turn your back on these abuses. I was fascinated by how the characters are chained together by co-dependence and a selfish love. Dympna is best friends with Arm because he uses him for his dirty work. Arm wants Ursula and Jack to stay close because it suits him; not because it is good for his son. Paudi hates that Hector may, one day, fall in love with the widow and run away, leaving him alone. Breaking this cycle is, I guess, in part what the film is about. During the adaptation process and planning of this film, my focus has been on staying true to the elements of the source material that make it so unique and rich, while developing and expanding the story to make it an emotional and cinematic experience for the audience. It has been great to have Colin Barrett’s advice and support throughout the process, and it was a huge honour to be able to play with the world and characters he created. The challenge has been to retain the sense of poetry and sensitivity found in the prose, and translate it into the language of film. The world of CALM WITH HORSES is energetic, eccentric and beautiful as much as it is dark and threatening. It is a place where violence or laughter could erupt at any moment. I loved how the audience are propelled forward by the youthful energy and spirit of the central characters. Above all else, I wanted to take the audience on a deeply emotional journey, as we explore this brutal world through the eyes of our deeply vulnerable protagonist, as he grapples with his conscience and desire to do what is best for his son".