Cannes Film Festival (American Pavilion) 2019 – Hiding in Daylight
After a gay purge, four best friends are surviving by living in fake marriages to each other. They secretly meet once a week to see their true spouse and play a "game" where they reminisce about their former openly gay lives. After three years of weekly gatherings, they must determine if their clandestine meetings are worth risking their lives. In one night, emotions run high, friendships begin to unravel and everything changes in an instant.
Interview with Director/Producer/Editor Cheryl Allison
Watch Hiding in Daylight on Prime Video
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
When writer Gregory G. Allen sent me the script to Hiding in Daylight, I was so moved by the subject matter. I knew I had to jump onboard. Originally I was going to play one of the lead roles in the film as my career has primarily been as an actress onscreen or onstage but when we discussed it more I had all these ideas and Greg and producing partner Carina Rush asked me to direct it.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
The subject matter is relevant and frighteningly topical. Hiding in Daylight is about a gay purge, four best friends are surviving by living in fake marriages to each other. They secretly meet once a week to see their true spouse and play a "game" where they reminisce about their former openly gay lives. After three years of weekly gatherings, they must determine if their clandestine meetings are worth risking their lives. In one night, emotions run high, friendships begin to unravel and everything changes in an instant. The subject matter alone should draw people to the film. Although it is a fiction film, it is the brutal reality for so many in the LGBTQ community worldwide.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
At the end of the film, I chose to post a fact that says "As of the making of this film homosexuality is illegal in 71 countries and punishable by death in eight." That is a reality and that truth is what makes this film work. People who view it regardless of their feelings about the LGBTQ community cannot argue with facts. It's a horrible persecution of the community that is occurring in many countries and it is my hope that the film will evoke an uncomfortable truth and warning of what happens when people are complacent.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Greg delivered an amazing script but we did have numerous revisions of it which is so normal in the filmmaking process. We continually were updating the dialogue that referred to current news stories addressing LGBTQ discrimination. We would think we had the script locked and then another horrible story would be published about someone's rights being violated because they were gay and we would update the script as we wanted it to be as current as possible. The script also changed when we found our location for shooting. We added some specifics elements to the script to utilize this beautiful house that sits on many acres and has horses etc. It is owned by our producer Carina Rush so we had to incorporate some of the location as it was just too beautiful.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The feedback has been amazing! When the film ends you can hear a pin drop in the audience. It is so silent. I chose to have the end credits over no music. So to sit in silence after witnessing a rather dramatic ending is really something.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It has made me happy that audiences seem to all be in agreement that human rights violations are taking place against the LGBTQ community and I think they realize that they need to speak up. Personally, as an out and proud gay woman, it has just reinforced my desire to create more films that spark conversation and challenge the audience. I believe in activism through art.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
To raise awareness. Your site is We Are Moving Stories. You can't really get more moving than a film with a subject matter about a group of marginalized people being detained, imprisoned and possibly killed because of who they love. Like I said earlier, it's fiction but the storyline is truth for many.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We have distribution beginning after our festival run with REVRY which is known as the gay Netflix which is fantastic. We are also looking for international distribution and through other online platforms like Amazon Prime, iTunes, Netflix etc. We would love to get the film and its message out to as many festivals as possible. We have just begun our festival run and have already been accepted into 13 festivals! Press is essential for indie film so anyone who wants to cover this important topic we will be able to talk with them. Thank you for supporting us it means so much.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I want audiences to reexamine their own complacency. If you are going to support and fight for a marginalized group then you have to be all in. You need to vote for political candidates that support LGBTQ rights. Speak up when hate speech is happening etc. I want people who are not as informed about this topic to go home after seeing the movie and research about the gay purges happening in Chechyna. Tanzania started an anti-gay crackdown, Brunei is introducing the death penalty for anyone who is gay. The list goes on...
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Do you believe human rights should apply to everyone? Regardless of one's own personal opinion about the LGBTQ community, do you believe human rights should apply to everyone?
Would you like to add anything else?
I want to thank you for providing a platform for filmmakers to share their stories and raise awareness about important subject matters. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I just premiered to a sold-out crowd a feature documentary called Shatter the Silence which focuses on the #metoo movement in Dallas, TX. I turned the camera to my hometown and brought together leaders of the community - ministers, politicians, social workers, teachers, students and more to discuss the topic of sexual harassment and initiatives taking place at the community level to bring forth change. I'm very excited about it and the film has already won two awards and is hitting the festival circuit. Anyone more curious about the film can go to www.shatterthesilencefilm.com. In June, I was hired to direct another documentary called Pieces of Us about LGBTQ hate crimes and a couple of inspiring survivors who are doing wonderful things to help not only heal themselves but others as well. You can see a common thread here...I'm all about activism through art.
Interview: May 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Hiding in Daylight
After a gay purge, four best friends are surviving by living in fake marriages to each other. They secretly meet once a week to see their true spouse and play a "game" where they reminisce about their former openly gay lives. After three years of weekly gatherings, they must determine if their clandestine meetings are worth risking their lives. In one night, emotions run high, friendships begin to unravel and everything changes in an instant.
Length: 14:56
Director: Cheryl Allison
Producer: Carina Rush
Writer: Gregory G. Allen
About the writer, director and producer:
CHERYL ALLISON is an award-winning actress who has performed on Broadway, Regional Theatre and Film/TV for over 25 years. She is best known for her starring role in the feature film No Letting Go (2016) opposite Kathy Najimy, Richard Burgi, and Alysia Reiner. Her performance in the film garnered her three Best Actress Awards. Other directorial projects include the documentary feature Shatter the Silence (2019), featuring former TX State Senator and Women's Rights Activist Wendy Davis. The film is currently in the film festival circuit and is the recipient of the Storyteller Award from A Show For A Change Film Festival and received Best Documentary at the Gold Movie Awards in London. She is currently directing a new documentary Pieces of Us which shines a light on hate crimes against the LGBTQ community. Cheryl, a Regional Emmy Nominee and two-time Telly Award winner has also directed and edited projects for numerous non-profits and corporations.
GREGORY G. ALLEN has been writing since his first musical was produced at 14 years old. His plays and musicals include Hiding in Daylight, Well With My Soul, Invisible Fences, Destiny and Dreams, River Divine, and several children's musicals. Gregory has been the recipient of grants from BMI, ASCAP, the Watershed Foundation and is a member of The Dramatist Guild, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and a former member of the BMI Musical Theater Workshop. He is the award-winning author of four novels, one nonfiction memoir, two shorts, three children's books, and several screenplays including the short film Mother. His screenplay He is Gone is an official selection in the 2019 Beverly Hills Film Festival.
CARINA RUSH is a multi-award winning producer whose highly acclaimed feature film No Letting Go (2016) received worldwide distribution through Vision Films. The film received the elite honor of being one of the top 100 films viewed on Amazon Prime. Most recently she produced the award-winning short film Far From The Tree with WOW FILMS. Carina's 20 years of experience in the Arts and Entertainment industry and her firsthand knowledge of the business has made her a sought after producer. In addition to her producing partnership with Cheryl and WOW FILMS, she is working on several projects that are in development, currently filming and in post-production.
Key cast: Judy McLane, Jim Newman, Julee Cerda, Gary Hilborn
Looking for: distributors, journalists, buyers
Facebook: Hiding In Daylight
Twitter: @ASD_Media
Instagram: @hidingindaylightfilm
Hashtags used: #letsgo #loveislove #gayrights #nohate #lgbtqfilm
Website: hidingindaylight.com
Other: IMDb
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase/Cannes Film Festival - May 19, Hoboken International Film Festival/Greenwood Lake, NY - May 19