Director Alan Hopkins and producer Husni Hafid on Movies That Changed Your Life: Jurassic Park, The Virgin Suicides, Badlands, Shawshank Redemption, There Will Be Blood, Donnie Darko from 3 FILMS THAT HAVE IMPACTED EVERYTHING IN YOUR ADULT LIFE: A Britflicks Podcast with screenwriter Stuart Wright

3 FILMS THAT HAVE IMPACTED EVERYTHING IN YOUR ADULT LIFE: A Britflicks Podcast with screenwriter Stuart Wright

Stuart Wright

Director Alan Hopkins and producer Husni Hafid on Movies That Changed Your Life: Jurassic Park, The Virgin Suicides, Badlands, Shawshank Redemption, There Will Be Blood, Donnie Darko

56 minutes Posted Nov 19, 2025 at 9:03 am.

] The making of JUNGLE

] How did JUNGLE get broadcast on RTE?

] The making of OGHAM

] 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life

] Alan Hopkins describes how he did apply to be a palaeontologist like many others as a result of this film, but more importantly for his generation this film is his E.T.

] Husni Hafid describes how the first time he saw this film was on TV in Libya. What he didn’t know at the time, Libyan TV edited the sex scenes but left any violence well alone.

] Alan Hopkins shares how Badlands was the film that changed everything about how he viewed films. It was the first time he was engaging with film as a higher art form.

] Husni Hafid says Shawshank Redemption is the first film that stuck with him. To this day, he can go back and watch any time. Every time he watches it he gets something new from it. It is a film that can actively change his mood because it fills him with so much hope.

] Alan Hopkins chose There Will Be Blood but what he means is the year 2007, the first year he went to film school. This was a time when he was all about cinema; going to the theatre every other day to watch films.

] Husni Hafid this is one of the first films where he saw the directors cut and it almost ruined it for him; realising how the theatrical cut had been edited so well. It is full of youthful energy and made him want to make a film.

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Show notes

Join screenwriter Stuart Wright as he dives into movies that changed your life with the two Irish filmmakers: director Alan Hopkins and producer Husni Hafid in this engaging episode of 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life. Jurassic Park and The Virgin Suicides’ impact, Badlands and Shawshank Redemption analysis, and There Will Be Blood and Donnie Darko influence on his personal growth and cinema’s transformative power. They also discusses how they made their short films: JUNGLE and OGHAM

Movies That Changed Your Life

Find out about the making of the short films: JUNGLE and OGHAM and the lasting impact of cinema with Stuart Wright on his movie podcast.

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Jurassic Park (1993) impact

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The Virgin Suicides (1999) impact

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Badlands (1974) analysis

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Shawshank Redemption (1994) analysis

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There Will Be Blood (2007) influence

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Donnie Darko (2001) influence

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Key Take Aways:

- Discover how movies that changed your life shape personal and professional growth.

- Learn about how to make short films

Understand cinema’s transformative power through Jurassic Park (1993), The Virgin Suicides (1999), Badlands (1974), Shawshank Redemption (1994), There Will Be Blood (2007), Donnie Darko (2001)

Full show notes and transcript:

About the Guest(s):

Alan Hopkins is a Dublin-based writer-director, and lead creative executive at HAL Pictures. His films have screened on national broadcasters and major film festivals across continents, picking up multiple awards along the way.

Husni Hafid is an award winning producer born in Libya and raised in Co Sligo, Ireland. He has a proven track record of bringing films to completion across projects of varying scale.

Their website : halpictures.com

Jungle Trailer : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM3RTmBD5co

Ogham Trailer : https://vimeo.com/967751228

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts for more movies that impacted your life!

Share your favourite movies that impacted your life on X (@leytonrocks) and leave a 5-star review and tell us which 3 films impacted your adult life. Best ones get read out on the podcast.

Credits:

Intro/Outro music: *Rocking The Stew* by Tokyo Dragons (https://www.instagram.com/slomaxster/)

Written, produced, and hosted by Stuart Wright for [Britflicks.com](https://www.britflicks.com/britflicks-podcast/)

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