Writer/Director Antonia Campbell-Hughes’s own nomadic upbringing serves as inspiration for the hero’s journey in her feature film debut, It Is In Us All. Throughout this thrilling LGBTQ+ drama, Campbell-Hughes explores themes of belonging and identity, tangled up in secrecy.

The heavy fog has rolled in by the time Hamish (Cosmo Jarvis) arrives in the small Irish town of Donegal. The Londoner, whose suave appearance immediately stands out amongst the working class community, has arrived from the city to inspect a farmhouse that he received as part of an inheritance from his aunt who recently passed. Hamish didn’t know her well and as a result, lacks emotional ties to the property. He has every intention of selling and returning to London quickly. As he makes his way to the house later that night, Hamish crashes head-on into a driver speeding from the opposite direction, catapulting his vehicle down the hill and leaving him for dead.

Hamish wakes in a hospital, narrowly escaping serious injuries. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the passengers of the other vehicle. A 15-year-old boy died and his passenger, 17-year-old Evan (Rhys Mannion), sustained minor injuries. Being that Donegal is a small town, it doesn’t take long for Hamish to cross paths with Evan once he is discharged. Contrary to the expected, Evan seems keen to start a friendship with Hamish. Adding to Hamish’s confusion are the unexpected feelings of attachment to his aunt’s property that he has developed. Feelings of legacy, belonging, and identity creep in, and what initially seemed like an easy decision has now been muddied with emotional complexity. Hamish decides to ignore his instinct and befriend the boy, as well as dive deeper into his own family history in Donegal. Conflict is never far from the surface as Hamish begins to feel the repercussions from these decisions, and is ultimately faced with gut-wrenching revelations that could impact the course of his life.

It Is In Us All hinges on the demanding physical performances of its lead and supporting actors, both exuding total trust and confidence in director Antonia Campbell-Hughes’s vision. Cosmo Jarvis embodies a “Tom Hardy in Locke” sense of awareness, where his grit and quiet demeanor are tightly packaged until he is pushed to the brink and explodes with such brute force. Compositionally, the film is gorgeous. Cinematographer Piers McGrail’s beautiful wide shots look reminiscent of The Banshees in Inisherin at some moments – the idyllic rolling meadows and stormy oceans create a stunning juxtaposition of vulnerable characters navigating extreme terrain. The sweeping score by Tom Furse is robust for such an intimate film, but it sounds lovely nevertheless.

In 2022, the film made its World Premiere at SXSW and won the Special Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature. It Is In Us All won the Best Cinematography award at the 2023 Irish Film and Television Awards, as well as a BIFA nomination for Cosmo Jarvis for Best Lead Performance. At its core, It Is In Us All is a story about facing harsh truths. It has a dark and moody tone that is accelerated by strong, full-bodied performances from all involved. It’s quite a feat for Antonia Campbell-Hughes, her visual style is full of clarity and confidence as if she has been making films for decades – hers is a name to keep on your radar.