Ted Evans’ “retreats” take place outside of society. The character lives in a compound called Chillmark and shares the identity of the deaf person, but refuses to call him deaf and declares that the label is being forced upon them by the hearing. Matt (James Joseph Boyle) was happy until the classic type among this group, the enigmatic outsider (Anne Xander), made him stand up to what really exists beneath the surface of the Chilmark.
“Retreat” will be screened at TIFF from September 6th, and Evans, a debut filmmaker who communicates deaf and deaf through British sign language and spoken English, spoke with Variety about films, on-screen communications and opportunities for deaf actors.
Different countries use different versions of sign language and I’m curious to see what it’s like to have a truly international cast added to this project.
The deaf people come from all over the world and we communicate in a variety of languages, but the experience of hearing impairment is familiar. Giving Chillmark an international identity has broadened our scope.
I understand that the sign language that the actors create for use in Chillmark is their own language. It emphasizes that this is a cult and is sealed off by the world.
I don’t call it a language – definitely a dialect. It was a lot of fun working with sign language directors and consultants. With a cast that brings the influx of German sign languages, BSL, ASL and DGS.
I know that many people just look at sign language. But every sign we create has meaning. We have created a very carefully considered glossary. These little details are included in the films that people can discover if they want.
Is there a political aspect to the cult being very covetiously separatist from an aural society?
I’m not really trying to make any points. However, when we consider the entire hearing impaired community, 95% are born into hearing families. We cannot teach us about culture and history in schools. No one will show you how to lose your hearing. Most of us are encouraged to assimilate and correct our hearing loss, which can create a lot of isolation.
We were thinking about what we were connecting and what belonged to us. People are about to be understood – sometimes it goes beyond language. That unspoken bond is precious, and what connects so many communities.
There is a rich history of cult movies there. Did you have any particular films you used as inspiration?
Obviously, “Master” – I’m a huge Paul Thomas Anderson fan. I also like “Martha Mercy May Marlene.” But most of my inspiration comes from non-fiction. I accidentally stumbled over it – I couldn’t sleep for the night, I turned on Terry and it was a Jonestown documentary. That was a bit of an extreme introduction.
I went to boarding school when I was a child – I went when I was 10 and was there for seven years with 150 other deaf people. This was blocked from the Valley of the Valley in Brighton, southern England. The more I developed this story, the more I saw an opportunity to explore the structure of identity within the structure of a cult.
Do you think opportunities for hearing impaired people are improving overall?
It’s definitely getting better. However, it is difficult for the hearing impaired. They work very hard and have little opportunity. It all comes down to writing. They need a story that is not just about their hearing loss.
What future projects will excite you?
I’m extremely passionate about sign language cinemas. Sign language has so many possibilities, woven into the grain of the film, edited like combat and dance. Hopefully there’s a lot more to come.
