Gareth Evans (filmmaker)
Gareth Evans | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Evans in 2012 | |
| Born | 1980 (age 43–44) Hirwaun, Cynon Valley, Wales |
| Alma mater | University of Glamorgan |
| Occupation(s) | Film director, screenwriter, film editor, action choreographer |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Spouse | Maya Barrack-Evans |
| Children | 1 |
Gareth Huw Evans (born 1980)[1] is a Welsh film director, screenwriter, film editor, and action choreographer.
He is best known for bringing the Indonesian martial art pencak silat into world cinema through his films Merantau, The Raid, and The Raid 2.[2]
Early life
Evans was born and raised in Hirwaun, Cynon Valley.[1] He graduated from the University of Glamorgan (now the University of South Wales) with an MA in screenwriting,[3][4] and made his living by helping people learn Welsh over the Internet.[5]
Career
After directing a small-budget film called Footsteps, Evans was hired as a freelance director for a documentary about the Indonesian martial art pencak silat.[2][5] He became fascinated with it, and discovered Indonesian martial artist Iko Uwais, who was working as a deliveryman for a phone company.[5] Evans cast Uwais in his 2009 film Merantau, which became a cult hit.[5] He planned to produce a larger action film, but scaled the production budget down and created an action film called The Raid (2011). After the success of The Raid, the larger action film eventually became the basis for its sequel, The Raid 2: Berandal (2014).[6][7]
Since January 2015, Evans has started pre-production work on a gangster film titled Blister according to his Twitter page.
Personal life
Evans is 6'7" (2.01m) tall.[7] He lived in Jakarta with his wife, Maya, and their daughter, Sophie, until the family moved back to Wales in 2015.[1][8][9]
He is also good friends with documentary director Joshua Oppenheimer, as Josh has given thanks to him for his award nominated documentaries of Indonesian life.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Samurai Monogatari | Short film |
| 2006 | Footsteps | |
| 2009 | Merantau | |
| 2011 | The Raid | |
| 2013 | V/H/S/2 | Segment: Safe Haven |
| 2014 | Killers | Executive producer |
| 2014 | The Raid 2: Berandal | |
| 2016 | Pre Vis Action | Short Film |
| TBA | Apostle | [10] |
Awards
In November 2011, The Raid won the Midnight Madness Award at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2011.[11]
References
- ^ a b c Hughes, Brendan (24 May 2012). "Gareth comes home for his film premiere". walesonline.co.uk.
- ^ a b Brown, Todd (4 February 2009). "Gareth Evans and Iko Uwais talk MERANTAU". Twitch Film. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
- ^ "'The Raid' directed by Glamorgan graduate Gareth Evans released today". University of Glamorgan. 2012-05-18.
- ^ Ludkin, Gareth (May 2012). "profile - Gareth Evans". Buzz: 22.
- ^ a b c d Wrenn, Eddie (24 February 2012). "From the valleys of Wales to the hills of Hollywood: Fledgling director Gareth Evans' meteoric rise to fame as critics praise The Raid". Daily Mail. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
- ^ Gareth Evans – The Raid Interview at TIFF 2011. Tribute.ca. 8 September 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
- ^ a b Helen Barlow (15 June 2014). "Welsh director Gareth Evans' second 'Raid' movie is an all-action expansion of the first Indonesia-filmed hit". South China Morning Post.
- ^ "Director, Star of 'The Raid' Discuss the Movie". Jakarta Globe. 2012-04-02.
- ^ Damon Wise (5 May 2012). "The Raid: how a Welsh director rocked the world of Asian action cinema". The Guardian.
- ^ "The Raid Director Gareth Evans to Return with 'Apostle'". Collider. 2 November 2016.
- ^ "Sony Pictures Classics Releasing The Raid". deadline.com. 29 November 2011.
External links
- Gareth Evans at IMDb
- Gareth Evans on X
