THE RETREAT: XYZ Films Announces Production Begins on Ted Evans' Debut, The World's First Deaf Thriller

Raised in an isolated deaf community, cracks begin to appear in Matt’s seemingly idyllic world when the arrival of enigmatic outsider Eva forces him to question the realities of his identity. Is Matt prepared to discover what lies beneath the surface of his supposedly utopian community and the costs demanded to maintain it?

PRODUCTION UNDERWAY ON TED EVANS’ DEBUT THRILLER RETREAT FOR XYZ FILMS 

  

Production underway in UK on cult-set thriller featuring an all-deaf principal cast; XYZ handling world sales via its New Visions initiative 

 

XYZ Films has announced production is underway on writer-director Ted Evans’ debut thriller RETREAT, which stars Anne Zander, James Boyle and Sophie Stone, with Ace Mahbaz and Anna Seymore rounding out the cast. The film, featuring an all-deaf principal cast and writer/director, is produced by The Fold and 104 Films, Michelle Stein, Jennifer Monks and Alex Usborne, with financing provided by BFI (awarding National Lottery funding), BBC Film and West Midlands Production Fund. Claudia Yusef for BBC Film, Louise Ortega for BFI and Paul Ashton for Creative UK are executive producing.  

 

XYZ Films is handling worldwide sales as a part of their New Visions slate of films, an initiative designed to spotlight the boldest new voices alongside established talent striking a new path in the international space.   

 

Raised in an isolated deaf community, cracks begin to appear in Matt’s (Boyle) seemingly idyllic world when the arrival of enigmatic outsider Eva (Zander) forces him to question the realities of his identity. Is Matt prepared to discover what lies beneath the surface of his supposedly utopian community and the costs demanded to maintain it?

 

“XYZ is beyond thrilled to be working with Ted Evans on his debut feature. We immediately fell in love with this unique and compelling world from the first page of the script. Imagine Karyn Kusama’s THE INVITATION blended with CODA and you have the world of Evans’ RETREAT. It is tense and striking and there’s never been anything quite like it.” Todd Brown, Head of International Acquisitions, XYZ Films. 

 

“The Fold is delighted to finally bring Retreat to the screen.  Ted’s vision for the world’s first deaf thriller is as exciting as it seems and we can’t wait to share this unique film with audiences,” said The Fold.

 

Writer-director Ted Evans is from Hackney, East London and communicates in both spoken English and British Sign Language. He started his career at a small production company, before progressing from researcher to director at the BBC. In 2012 he co-wrote and directed two films for the Paralympic Opening Ceremony - ‘Look Up’ and ‘Bird Gherl’. Evans received international and critical acclaim for his award-winning shorts, ‘The End’ and ‘Retreat’, the latter of which he has adapted as his debut feature film, with producers Michelle Stein (SKY PEALS) and Alex Usborne (NOTES ON BLINDNESS) which was developed with the support of BFI and BBC Film through Creative UK’s iFeatures programme. He has also just directed his first music video and a documentary, featuring Rose Ayling-Ellis: ‘Signs for Change’, which aired on BBC1 after being showcased at Sheffield’s Doc Fest in 2023. In 2018 he was selected as part of Creative England’s CE50 and his most recent short film ‘To Know Him’ was nominated for Best Short Film at BIFA 2018 and screened at festivals such as Sundance London and Sydney International Film Festival. 

 

Anne Zander has recently been seen in the ZDF series "Nächste Ausfahrt Glück", produced by Producers at Work and cast by Uwe Bünker. In autumn 2023 she won the "Best Actress" category of the Della Award, the first international film festival for deaf filmmakers. Anne won for her leading role alongside Claudia Michelsen in the ZDF drama "Du sollst hören". In 2022, she also appeared in front of the camera for the Netflix production "Sleeping Dogs" and played a stirring leading role in an episode of “Soko Köln”. The Netflix production "For Jojo" celebrated its premiere at the Munich Film Festival.

 

James Boyle made his screen debut with a role in Luke Snellin’s series “Reunion” (BBC Film / Warp Films). On stage, he recently completed a tour with Deafinitely Theatre’s production of “The Promise,” which played at Birmingham Rep, The Lyric Hammersmith, HOME and The Northern Stage. He is fluent in both British Sign Language (BSL) and spoken English, and he is currently learning International Sign (IS). He is the first d/Deaf man to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

 

Sophie Stone’s recent TV credits include “Reunion,” “Generation Z,” “The Chelsea Detective,” “This Way Up,” “Two Doors Down,” “Moving On,” “Shakespeare & Hathaway,” “Shetland,” “The Crown,” and “Doctor Who.”  Feature films include RETREAT, (she was awarded Best Actress Award, Clin d’Oeil Festival), NAME ME LAWAND, MY CHRISTMAS ANGEL, CONFESSIONS and COMING HOME. Stone is Co-Founder of Deaf & Hearing Ensemble Theatre Company.

 

New sales and production titles from the XYZ Films studio include 2024 TIFF Platform title Daniela Foreverdirected by Nacho Vigalondo and starring Henry Golding and Beatrice Grannó which just sold to Well Go USA, FULL THROTTLE MINDSET starring Josh Duhamel and Lukas Gage, FLESH OF THE GODS, directed by Panos Cosmatos and starring Kristen Stewart and Oscar Isaac, HE BLED NEON with Joe Cole and Rita Ora, KILL ME with Allison Williams and Charlie Day, FREE FALL starring Zachary Levi and directed by Zoë Bell, Sundance title SKYWALKERS: A LOVE STORY, which sold to Netflix, BLACKBERRY starring Gotham and Independent Spirit-award nominee Glenn Howerton, which was released by IFC Films, ASH starring Eiza González and Aaron Paul and directed by Flying Lotus, and the Netflix Original HAVOC, directed by Gareth Evans and starring Tom Hardy and Forrest Whitaker. XYZ Films recently announced the global acquisition of THE RITUAL starring Al Pacino and Dan Stevens.

 

Evans is represented by Ellen Gallagher at Casarotto, Ramsay & Associates.