DEER WOMAN CHILD
A mysterious pregnancy after multiple miscarriages brings hope of a new life for Pryn.
Drama 60 min Produced by Green Film Productions Released 2022.
When Pryn’s marriage breaks down after several miscarriages, she retreats to her late grandmother’s remote and run down farm, alone. She takes solace in caring for the farm animals, feeling a sense of belonging in her grandmother’s place, but the isolation is hard as she struggles through the harsh winter. One day she receives a letter from her husband, his new girlfriend is pregnant and they want to get married. He needs her to consent to a divorce. Devastated, Pryn goes deep into the forest intending to take her own life. She is interrupted by an encounter with a wild deer, an older female that approaches her closely, seemingly unafraid as it forages in the frozen landscape. Confronted by the creatures innate will to live, Pryn realises she must carry on. Spring coaxes the land back to life and something is changing inside Pryn. A visit to the clinic confirms she is pregnant. Astounded by this miracle, Pryn holds onto the hope that this time, things might be different. Avoiding medical intervention, determined to carry the baby to term, Pryn wanders the moonlit landscape like a wild animal and when she sleeps, her dreams are always of the forest. But something seems to be wrong as the pregnancy comes to term and Pryn knows what she has to do.
This work was supported by the Arts & Humanities Research Council (grant number AH/L503848/1) through the White Rose College of the Arts & humanities.
TRAILER
STILLS GALLERY
Click side arrows for more stills from DEER WOMAN CHILD
FESTIVAL SCREENINGS
Poster Art by Gil Holderbach
BEHIND THE SCENES
DEER WOMAN CHILD was filmed over a long period of time, a few days at a time, over 18 months, so as to capture the changing seasons that were central to the story.
To film the scenes with animals it was important to me that we should not cause any distress. This meant we had to find an animal who would not be afraid of the crew and the equipment. This proved to be quite a challenge, as deer are typically sensitive and avoid humans. But soon we were introduced to John Fletcher, a Vet and deer specialist who has a deer farm in Perthshire, Scotland. John invited us to visit. There we met with Thistle, a very special red deer hind.
Thistle had been rejected by her mother after she was born, and so had been hand reared by John, and had a very strong bond with him. She had grown to see humans as her family, and when we visited her enclosure she immediately trotted over to greet us, so our relationship got off to a great start. She clearly enjoyed having visitors and hanging out with humans for company, and was not in the slightest bothered by the camera.
Thistle had to be adopted by John after her mother rejected her after she was born. He bottle fed her and when she grew up, he introduced her to his herd. She now lives in her own enclosure on account of her great age – she was born in the early 1980’s. Her pleasure in human contact was evident as soon as she saw us she came trotting up to the gate to greet us and once inside gave us all a quick wash (a deer lick is a very lucky thing I’m told!).
Here is John Fletcher, Vet and Deer Specialist, with Thistle on location at their home in Scotland.
Photograph by Darleen Klug.
Keeley Forsyth, who stars as Pryn, bonding with co-star Thistle.
Photograph by Darleen Klug.
When the time was right for filming her scene, we went to Scotland with a small team of students from the Northern Film School with us along with Keeley our actress. Thistle was very happy to make friends and we enjoyed two days filming in her enclosure where she felt most at home.
We spent two days filming with her in her enclosure, and she enjoyed plenty of cuddles. The most difficult thing about directing Thistle was that at her age, she had become a little hard of hearing, but we soon found a way to communicate with cuckoo calls and a bag of carrots which seemed to do the trick.
Thistle took rather a shine to my husband Steve who helped out as deer wrangler for a day, supervised by John.
Photograph by Darleen Klug.
CREW
Our crew included professionals as Heads of Department supervising students learning their roles. Tunji Akinsehinwa features in the photo on the right is a professional Cinematographer who was a Tutor at the Northern Film School at the time. Tunji now teaches in Boston University USA.
Our Production Designer Jane Morton lead a team of students in creating the interiors of the farmhouse, filmed on location in Yorkshire.
The filming process offered students many challenges and opportunities to learn their craft.
Gabrielle, crew and actress Keeley Forsyth on location in Scotland.
Photograph by Darleen Klug.
Cinematographer Tunji Akinsehinwa training Camera Assistant and NFS student Kotchacon Thongphakdi.
Photograph by Darleen Klug.
Find out about Gabrielle’s other feature projects below.