‘The Whale,’ a BBC film shot in Gozo and Malta, will be shown at 10.00pm GMT this evening on BBC One, as part of its Christmas schedule.

Filming took place in Gozo in Wied il-Ghasri, and at the Mediterranean Film Studios Malta on open water. 97% of the production was set in Malta.

The Whale is a 1×90 full drama television film for BBC One, BBC Worldwide and Discovery. Written by Terry Cafolla, directed by Alrick Riley and produced by John Chapman.

The Whale is the real story that inspired the classic novel Moby Dick, and is one of history’s greatest stories of survival at sea. The film follows the ill-fated voyage of The Essex through the eyes of the cabin boy Thomas Nickerson who, at 14, was the youngest member of the crew and one of only eight survivors of the shipwreck.

Before he died in 1883, aged 78, he wrote down a detailed factual account of his experiences which forms the basis of The Whale’s chronology, geography, characters, and main events.

This is an action-packed narrative in which against all odds Nickerson comes through the worst that nature can throw at him, growing up fast in the process. He faces the destructive force of sea-storms, the power of whales, the brutal desolation of the sun and sea after the shipwreck, and finally the grim realities of cannibalism as his only means of survival.

At its emotional heart is Nickerson’s coming-of-age, where, as an orphan, he is confronted by three powerful male role models – the captain, the first mate, and a black steward. As our narrative develops his views on what makes a man switches dramatically as he sees how these role model respond under some of life’s most extreme pressures.

“Throughout we explore some universal themes – What is Man’s place on Earth? How does humanity relate to the planet and its creatures? And what lengths will Man go to in order to survive. Woven within our story is a vivid depiction of the 19th century whaling industry, its importance to the world in an age before petroleum, the reality of its economics and operation, and the life and society of the sperm whale itself, one of the ocean’s greatest creatures,” the producers said.

CAST

Martin Sheen leads the cast as old Thomas Nickerson, Jonas Armstrong is First Mate Owen Chase with Adam Rayner (The Hunted) as Captain Pollard, Paul Kaye (Game of Thrones, Stella) as Joy; David Gyasi (Cloud Atlas, War Horse) as Peterson and Jolyon Coy (The Hollow Crown) as Lawrence. Also starring Jassa Ahluwalisa, John Boyega and Ferdinand Kingsley and introducing Charles Furness as the young Tom Nickerson.

CREW

The Whale is executive produced by Eamon Hardy, award-winning Factual Executive, whose credits include Who Bombed Omagh (RTS winner) and Monkeys Rats And Me (Grierson Winner) and Ruth Caleb, Drama Executive and EON Lifetime Achievement Award Women in Film winner, whose credits include A Short Stay In Switzerland (Broadcast award and BAFTA nominee) and Bullet Boy.

The producers are Mike Dormer, whose credits include Clocking Off (BAFTA winner) and his executive produced credits include Pompeii – The Last Day (BAFTA Winner) along with John Chapman, whose credits include The Lost Prince (BAFTA winner) and The Street (BAFTA winner). Writer Terry Cafolla’s credits include BAFTA-nominated Holy Cross and Messiah.

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