One Foot Down: The Strange Shooting of Antonio Alford

After the Falklands War, British soldiers were sent on a ‘sunshine tour’ of Belize. In 1983, one of them shot and killed a local farmer, Antonio Alford, who only had one leg. By tracking down people familiar with the incident, investigative journalist Phil Miller tells this story of war, trauma and those who are left on the margins. His film raises disturbing questions about how the UK Ministry of Defence looks after not just its own troops, but also the civilians who live in countries where it has overseas military bases.

  • Phil Miller
    Director
  • Phil Miller
    Producer
  • Gus Hales
    Key Cast
  • Errol Flowers
    Key Cast
  • Chris Spannos (New Internationalist)
    Commissioning Editor
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 10 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 23, 2019
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    Belize
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Belize International Film Festival 2019
    Belize City
    Belize
    November 6, 2019
    Official Selection
Distribution Information
  • Phil Miller
    Country: United Kingdom
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Phil Miller

Phil Miller is an investigative journalist and producer. His reporting on the British army has triggered two government inquiries. He has written freelance articles for most UK national papers including The Times, Guardian, VICE and New Internationalist magazine.

Filmography:

Specialist researcher - The Ballymurphy Precedent (106min) - Sheffield Doc Fest 2018

Producer - Stop the Boats (56min) - Nuremburg International Film Festival 2017

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I wanted to make a film that explored the impact of conflict on soldiers and civilians. While Falklands war veterans continue to battle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), people who live near British military bases in other parts of the world like Belize have suffered from this condition as well. Through the two characters in this film, British paratrooper Gus Hales and Belizean carpenter Errol Flowers, we see two men from very different backgrounds who are both struggling with trauma and feel let down by those in power.