Two men arrive at a silent Buddhist meditation retreat expecting stillness. In the quiet, they begin to reveal who they really are. Silent Retreat is a 12-minute queer short film about intimacy, vulnerability, and the things we only say when no one's supposed to be talking. Told entirely without dialogue—not a silent film—but a story carried by image, performance, and an original score. Shot in Charlotte, Concord, and Rutherfordton, North Carolina.
Written by Guy Olivieri - Based on a story by Adam Peal
Directed and Edited by Neil Fennell
Starring: Guy Olivieri & Adam Peal with Denise Breland and Minna Sugay
Executive Producers: Guy Olivieri, Adam Peal, Abigail Sand (@abigailsand)
Producer: Neil Fennell
Associate Producer: Darin Spencer
Director of Photography: Robert Bodrogi
Camera Operators: Robert Bodrogi, Brock Wolford
Assistant Director: Abigail Schopen
2nd Assistant Director: Rian Neill
Original Score: Michael Harren
Sound Design: Ryan Huegerich
Sound Mixer: MacArthur Andrew Harris
Production Manager: Abigail Sand
Script Supervisor: Rian Neill
Grips: Katy Perry, Brock Wolford
Production Assistant: Hannah Parker
Photography: Chase Weaver
Locations Manager: Abigail Sand
Locations: Robert Bodrogi, Dillon Mann, Donna Sand
Featuring: Drew Coleman, Jackson Holloman, Makayla Lynn, Hailie Mathews, Tammie Yvette McEachin, Jessica Moseman, Hannah Parker, Danielle Patterson, Jamie M. Rimany, Tania Sales, Donna Sand, Donna Simpson, Howard Slutzky, Chandler Smith, Ellie Young
Special Thanks: Mark Langmuir, Chase Weaver, Colin Cilderman-Kuenzi, Laura Meyers, Hazel Meyers-Fennell, Peter and Kathleen Olivieri, Morgan Elizabeth Bowman, Jamie Camper, Dianna Comer-Franklin, Charlotte Epley, Dan Grogan, Seal Patrick Harris, Luis Medina, Sharon Rathbone, Jacob Sand, Lindsey Shroeder, Lupe Silva, Angel Truesdale, Charlotte Pride, First Baptist Church Rutherfordton, Talent Inc., The Studio
Silent Retreat is a co-production of Giant Cookie Films (@offoffhollywood) and The Emergent (@theemergentrep).