THE STORY
How Far Would a Mother Go to Fight an Impossible Evil? Eva’s Diamond. When Eva’s devout Christian teenage son, Diamond, is accused of murdering an expert in the occult, her quest to prove his innocence leads her into a world of mystery and spirituality when everyone and everything seems to be coming spiraling towards her.’ She must rely on her rekindled Christian faith to confront a supernatural threat from her own forgotten past.
“There are some truly terrifying and mysterious moments here. It’s enough to keep the audience invested, and at almost 2 hours the story never overstays its welcome. It makes for a fun entertainment, and that is why the script and writer are something to consider.”
Storylink
THE TRAILER
DIRECTOR's STATEMENT
By Ice Neal
If I were asked to summarise EVA’S DIAMOND in one word, I would without hesitation say, “a Baby.” In every aspect, this movie experience has been like having a baby. An unexpected but delightful surprise at first, a nurturing feeling, the marvel of something that’s growing inside you every day more, and finally the birth. In many ways, EVA’S DIAMOND reflects all those moments. From a concise idea, it grew into a short film and culminated in a 2-hour-long feature.
In 2010, I was asked to write a short film for a music project. The idea of a little boy saving a pregnant woman from the attack of a mysterious man was the beginning of EVA’S DIAMOND.
With little or no equipment, my DP and I filmed what was supposed to be a one-minute-long piece. After that, it was clear I could develop that story and answer the many questions that were arising. As ideas kept pouring in, I had enough material to cover 40 minutes of screen time within a week. The fetus was growing! With a minimal crew, filming began, and as more questions emerged, we planned more days of filming to answer them. The whole story created itself, day after day in a somewhat unconventional fashion. The cast and crew grew bigger and bigger, and as the ideas continued to grow, the whole production value grew with them. From one room and a garden location to a prison, a vast warehouse, a villa, a police station, many exteriors, police officers, and an ambulance. Also, from the initial three actors and three crew to a total of about one hundred fantastic cast and 40 crew involved in the final stage of the shoot.
It has indeed been like fetal development. A simple, rudimentary story became a rich, complex and compelling supernatural mystery thriller that deals with Christianity, dark magic, justice, and motherly love, and offers thrilling moments as well as action, tragedy, romance, and comedy.
The heroine, Miss Phillips, born Eva Marlin, a 50-something woman, endures clearing her son’s name from the accusation of the murder of an entire family. She is a strong, distinctive character and the driving force in this Mystery Thriller, as everything and everyone is seen through her eyes the exact moment they meet and collide. This reflects her solitude, her forced exile into her own world after the tragic death of her fiancé, Andrew Boaz Phillips. It is also the index of her desire to block everything and everyone out of her life until the day her devout Christian son, Diamond Phillips, is accused of murder. This awakens a concealed courage in her to fight for the truth.
The story continuously bounces back and forth between Miss Phillips’ past and present, allowing the audience to know more about her past life. This device has a double effect: it lets us enter her world, but it also helps Miss Phillips deal with her hidden skeletons, which in turn provides answers to the mystery at hand. The duplicity of young Eva Marlin/ Old Miss Phillips is at the core of the whole story. It seems like now it is time for the long-repressed past of Eva to come out, notwithstanding how hard Miss Phillips has blocked it out.
“the time travels and spiritual elements are interesting.
They separate the story from more generic mysteries
and add exciting layers to the film.”
Writers Store
On many occasions, this is portrayed symbolically by the use of mirrors, which are carefully hidden like Easter eggs throughout the movie. This film is filled with intense emotions and strong characters.
My goal was for everyone who watches Eva’s Diamond to say, ‘It is real. It is happening.’ To achieve that, I adopted a simple visual approach without artificial embellishments, while keeping a low-key mood that effectively reflects what Miss Phillips feels inside.
The climax of the story, too, even though the Supernatural plays an important role, stays within the realm of reality. “Keeping it real” has been the keyword throughout the filming. Therefore, the movie is not rich with flashy camera moves or visual FX; instead, it focuses on the narration, which evolves and grows more complex minute by minute.
A substantial part of the story is dedicated to Miss Phillips’ introspection. Her courage and Christian faith are reborn from the ashes of a destroyed romance. She must fight for justice and the supernatural with all the weapons she has. She has no way out. This is also symbolised by the constant use of corridors and narrow passages as an index of a path she is forced to pursue, with no option. However, like any corridor, she is going to find the light at the end, not without enormous struggles and hammering doubts.
As The Writers Store/StoryLink commented,
“The time travel and spiritual elements are interesting. They separate the story from more generic mysteries and add exciting layers to the film.”
EVA’S DIAMOND has been a work of love, faith and passion. Many people have said it has been a courageous thing for me to do. I’d say, “Just like Miss Phillips, I had no option. The Lord God wanted Eva’s Diamond to be made. Moreover, as Miss Phillips says in the end, ‘I see clearly now,’ EVA’S DIAMOND was my corridor to walk and my baby to nurture. Making Eva’s Diamond has opened my eyes and led me to the truth.”
WRITTEN BY ICE NEAL