Table of Contents
Three Key Takeaways
- Deana Taheri’s Bill confronts ingrained sexism through a darkly comedic horror narrative where control and agency are violently reclaimed.
- The film uniquely blends silent film aesthetics with contemporary storytelling, offering a fresh genre hybrid that challenges audience expectations.
- Independent filmmaking’s do-it-yourself spirit shines in Bill, demonstrating how resourcefulness and a passionate team can create festival-winning work on a shoestring budget.
British actor, writer, director, and producer Deana Taheri brings her award-winning short film Bill to FilmQuest—a festival known for celebrating genre-bending storytelling. Taheri not only wrote and produced Bill but also stars as Lilith, the film’s protagonist who enacts a chilling revenge on her sexist husband. Alongside co-star Yianni Sines and the creative team, including makeup artist Isabel While, Taheri crafts a horror-comedy that explores themes of control, freedom, and societal expectations through a striking visual style reminiscent of silent cinema.
What drew you to make this film? Why this story, and why now?
I wrote this film in a time of my life where I felt my agency was in jeopardy. My personal circumstance quickly echoed the way I had felt as a woman my whole life, and the reality I saw for many of the important women around me. A need to fit a mould to be valued, a need to stay silent to avoid scrutiny (yet receiving it regardless), and direct blows veiled as ways to self-improve. Verbal and physical violence against women is something we are so desensitised to in the world we live in, that I wanted to flip the narrative. I decided that my protagonist would avenge herself through killing her husband but, in efforts to perhaps undo her wrong, attempts to revive him in the form of a life size marionette.
“Here was a chance to reverse the narrative and create a scenario where the ‘prey’ becomes the ‘predator’, and the controlled becomes controller.”
However, in doing so, we simultaneously ask the question: is this woman truly free or has she further shackled herself behind the facade of her husband?
What surprised you most about the filmmaking process this time—creatively or logistically? Was there a moment on set or in post that completely changed how you saw the story?
Practically, creating the puppet of Bill with my incredible co-star, Yianni Sines, was a joy and surprise as we had ideas of how he would look and how we would work together, but the reality was far more exciting. Isabel While, our amazing hair and MUA artist, created a horribly eerie makeup look for the corpse of Bill which, though we mapped it all out prior, was wonderfully horrifying in person. And, of course, actually conjoining to create the puppet of Bill was a test of teamwork and was an incredible filling and fun experience for both Yianni and I. He’s very good at looking completely dead when he is completely not!
Is there a moment in the film that feels the most you—something only you could have made?
This is a tough question because, in all honestly, this film in its entirety feels like me. But it has simultaneously gone from something that is just me, to something that is all of ours, and that’s my favourite thing about filmmaking. Though, if I had to pick, it would probably be either the makeup reveal or the rigor mortis moment!
What was the hardest creative decision you made while making this film?
Bill’s monologue at the beginning was actually much longer, but we had to cut a lot of it because we realised that we as an audience hated him much quicker than we thought and we were ready to get rid of him much sooner and dive into the journey of the short.
What do you hope audiences take away from your film?
I hope that their stomach turns, they get a good laugh, and they remember that they do not need to fit into any man made mould to be valued.
How has this film shaped or shifted the kind of stories you want to tell next?
It has only deepened my love of the absurd, and that is something I will take with me into everything I write.
What’s a tool, technique, or resource that really helped you during production?
“If you have blackout fabric and a vision, you can create a new space anywhere!!”
Independent filmmakers often rewrite the rules out of necessity. What do you think is the greatest strength of independent filmmaking, and how did you lean into that on this project? Is there a lesson or breakthrough you’d share with others navigating this path?
Independent filmmaking is as hard as it is rewarding, and this project is a testament to that. With a tiny budget and a group of talented, intelligent, and driven professionals, we were able to make something that has been screened in places we never could have dreamed of.
“I think my biggest breakthrough is just to DO IT. Don’t be scared, and if you are just do it anyway!”
What does it mean to you to have your film selected for FilmQuest, one of the world’s top reviewed genre film festivals?
Being selected to screen at FilmQuest is a massive honour and privilege for us, and we are so grateful to be part of a festival that pioneers the weird and wonderful, and has created such a strong and special community that we are thrilled to be a part of.
FilmQuest celebrates the majesty and might of genre filmmaking across fantasy, horror, sci-fi, action, thriller, western, kung-fu, and beyond. How does your film fit within—or push the boundaries of—genre storytelling?
Our film is a horror-comedy that explores the genre of silent film alongside modern storytelling. If Charlie Chaplin was in The Substance, this would be pretty close to it.
Where do you see this film going next?
We are in the midst of finding a home for the short where it can be finally streamed for audiences all over the world, and are in the early stages of development of a potential feature length version!
“At the core of all my work is a desire to make them laugh, make them think, and make them want more!"
Cast & Crew
- Deana Taheri — British actor, writer, director, producer, and star of Bill.
- Yianni Sines — Co-star and collaborator in creating the puppet of Bill
- Isabel While — Hair and makeup artist responsible for Bill’s eerie corpse look
