Equals

About Equals

"Equals" is a 2015 American science fiction romantic drama film directed by Drake Doremus. The futuristic dystopian drama is artfully narrated, focusing on a society that has abolished emotions. After a mysterious disease breaks out, the afflicted, including Silas and Nia, begin to experience feelings once thought eradicated, sparking an intimate and forbidden love story.

Making / Production

"Equals" was produced by Ridley Scott's Scott Free Productions. The film was shot in Japan and Singapore, with stunning cinematography by John Guleserian. The screenplay was written by Nathan Parker, who crafted a narrative that breaks the bounds of typical love stories with a thought-provoking take on emotion and connectivity.

Actors

• Nicholas Hoult as Silas: Nicholas played an illustrator in a drone-like society who contracts a virus that lets him to feel emotions. He portrayed the character subtly, reflecting hidden emotions in an emotionless world.
• Kristen Stewart as Nia: Kristen portrays the character of Nia, a writer who is secretly infected by the same disease. Her hidden anguish and budding affection for Silas were remarkably translated on screen.
• Guy Pearce as Jonas: Granted immunity by the government to research the mysterious disease, Guy Pearce's character Jonas befriends Silas and behaves as a guide.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• While not open about it, "Equals" was greatly inspired by George Orwell's "1984".
• The clinical setting was filmed in Singapore."Equals" is the first Hollywood movie to be shot there.
• The mysterious disease in the film, Switched On Syndrome (SOS), relates to real conditions where people see or experience emotions differently, like synesthesia.

Awards

"Equals" did not win major awards but was positively received, especially for its striking visual style, evocative production design, and subtle performances.

Quotes

• "Pain is something to master, not to wallow in."
• "The thing about learning how to fight is that - some of us are not worth fighting for."
• "Look at him, already one of the disappeared."

Music, Soundtrack

• The music and score for Equals was done by Sascha Ring (Apparat), Dustin O'Halloran, and Hauschka. The soundtrack subtly underscores the emotional arc of the story.
• Tracks include: "Introduction", "Triggers", "Are We Watching And Waiting?", "New Skin", "A Possible End", etc.