“Jumping on A Call with The Hollywood Reporter, Ted Evans Is Beaming with Pride. The British Writer-Director Has Good Reason to-His First Feature Film, Retreat, Just Had Its World Premiere at Tiff, But It Also Represents. Community. Retreat is billed as “The World’s First”, – WRITE: www.hollywoodReporter.com
Retreat is bildled as “the World’s First Deaf Thriller.” IT is written and directed by evans, also deaf, and features an all-deaf cas, set at the Rolling Hills of the English Countryside in a quaint Stately Home. The Movie Centers AROUND MATT (James Boyle), Who Was Raissed in a Secluded Deaf Community Based at A Stately House and Led by the Charismatic, Revered Leader Mia (Sophie Sephie).
But Cracks Begin to Appear in Matt’s World When the Arrival of Enigmatic Outsider Eva (Anne Zander) Forces Him to Question His Own ‘Deaf Identity’ and Lived Experience. Matt Finds HimSelf Unprepared to Discover the Dark Truths that Lie Beneath of the Surface of the Place He Calls Home – and the lenghs his community Will Go to in the Order to Protect.
“I’M Really Excited About Sign Language Cinema,” Says Evans from His Home City of London. “There’s Something in there Exciting – I Use Language ALMOST as IF IS LIKE A DANCE, Oral Combat, and Weaving It Into The Grammar
The Poetic Language with WHICH HE TALKS ABOUT Retreat – Adapted from Evans’ Short Film of the Same Name – is Fitting. Watching the actors Sign Language Through Glee, Heartache, Torment and Even Betrayal Makes for Some Stunning Scene Work. A Particularly Shining Performance Comes from Stone, Whose Role As The Feared-Yet-Blooved Mia Was Written Especially for Her.
“I just kept talking to her all these years,” Evans Says About Working with The English Actress to Help Craft The Cult-Esque Leader. “I Kept Showing Her Bits of Work. She Really Did Help Me Create Mia As A Character.” Casting Director Heather Basten Aided Evans in the Search for More of His Stars and He Tells Thr HE COURLDNN’T BE HAPPIER COMPLETH The FINAL PRODUCT. “I have so Much Faith and the Talent in Our Community, and i’m Excited to Push that.”
Thought Boasting An All-Deaf Cast, The Movie Was Made With The Help of Both A Hearing and Deaf Crew. With that Came a whohle host of logistic Problems Across The Six-Week Shoot, Evans Isn’s A afraid to Admit: “It Was Very Challeting and It Was An Ambitios,” He Begins. “WHEN MAKING A FILM IN SIGN LANGUAGE, YOU HAVE A LOT OF FAKTORS TO Consider – It’s Not Just the Technical [element]. We don’ve the same privileges [like having] Audio Over Images, You Know? SO IT’S VERY TIME-CONSUMING-How Much Light We Need, How I Want To Film Sign Language. ” Evans Laughs: “We Always Need More Time.”
The Deaf Community Is Having A “Moment in The UK,” Says Evans, Who Lauds The BBC All-Deaf Minieries Reunion (Also Premiering AT TIFF), and DRAMA Code of Silence Led by Deaf British Star Rose Ayling-Elis. But There’s Change HapPening Across The Atlantic, Too, Thanks To CODA an Sound of Metal. “There is a shift,” Evans adds, “we’re seeing more deaf actors, but it’s the stories as well. They can come from us.”