Thin Lines
Leah's life doesn't seem to have a meaning anymore, feeling trapped in her own silence until she meets Noah, a cheerful creator and Deaf man who opens her eyes to a new way of living her life.
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Shaan CoutureDirector
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Shaan CoutureWriter
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Thierry DenisProducer
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Jon SavageProducer
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Yamee CoutureKey Cast"Leah"
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Christopher DeSouzaKey Cast"Noah"
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Alix C. DucheneEditor
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Stephen ScavulliDirector of Photography
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Hugo BoccaraMusic Composer
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Jeff LitzmanSound Mixer
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Project Type:Short
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Genres:Romance, Drama
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Runtime:33 minutes
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Completion Date:January 1, 2017
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Production Budget:10,000 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:American Sign Language, English
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Shooting Format:RED
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Aspect Ratio:2.3
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:No
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The Women's Film FestivalPhiladelphia
United States
March 15, 2017
US -
The Deaf Rochester Film FestivalRochester
United States
March 26, 2017
WINNER: Best Cinematography -
San Diego Film AwardsSan Diego
United States
December 31, 2017
WINNER: Best Cinematography, Best Actress -
Cannes Short Film CornerCannes
France
May 25, 2017 -
Festival Clin D'OeilReims
France
July 6, 2017
France -
2017 Fort Worth Indie Film ShowcaseFort Worth
United States
July 21, 2017 -
Chelsea Film FestivalNew York
United States
October 15, 2017
New York
WINNER: Best Actress -
Lake Charles Film & Music FestivalLake Charles
United States
October 27, 2017 -
CineDeafRome
Italy
November 15, 2017
Italy -
Mediterranean Film Festival CannesCannes
France
November 24, 2017 -
LOW COST FILM FESTIVAL (LCFF)Barcelona
Spain
March 24, 2018
Spain
WINNER: Best Medium-length film -
Over-The-Rhine International Film FestivalCincinnati
United States
September 28, 2018
Cincinnati
WINNER: Best Actress WINNER: Honorable Mention -
Austin Indie FestivalAustin, TX
United States
October 7, 2018
WINNER: Best Long Short Film -
The Lift-Off Sessions - Pinewood Studios
May 20, 2019
Originally from France, Shaan is a director/producer based in New York, NY, after residency in Montreal, QC, and San Diego, CA. With a B.A. in Sociology, and a master in Communication (specializing in emotional and non-verbal communication), Shaan has always been passionate about human interactions and creating visual content.
With an advertising agency background, Shaan co-founded WediaWix in 2011, a film production company that allows her to produce her own projects that mainly range from documentaries to short films and music videos.
Shaan is a true globetrotter always carrying her cameras as she's also a documentary shooter. She speaks 5 languages, including sign language that she recently learned for her awarded short film "Thin Lines" (which was also her first narrative).
This is the story of a French young woman, Leah, who lives in San Diego, CA, and who is going through a rough time. She’s bored, she’s depressed, and she doesn’t feel alive. One night, under unexpected and fragile circumstances, Leah meets Noah, a young Deaf man. Noah’s state of mind is her contrary – he’s full of creativity, optimism, and positive energy. The two of them end up spending a lot of time together, learning from each others' worlds and passions: Noah likes to draw, and Leah likes to sing. To communicate, all methods are allowed, from body language to ASL, but also lip reading, and eye contact. The more they get to know each other, the more Noah and Leah feel connected.
Thin Lines is about two people that decide to open their minds to someone else’s world, which in return fulfills their own. This film aims at showing that when we are curious and open-minded towards others, we not only connect as social beings but we also make our own world richer. No matter what our own challenges are, we can always find ways to relate to the person in front of us. There are many ways one can exchange and communicate, and like Leah and Noah, humans must create bridges to each other’s perceptions. In Thin Lines, Noah forces Leah to venture in new forms of communication, which opens her mind to a completely different side of her life and emotions.
Since this film is about people of different worlds connecting, I wanted the whole production and philosophy of the film to be representative of this idea. The team in front and behind the camera was (and still is) composed of individuals who share this vision. From our various cultural background, experiences, ages, skills, strengths and weaknesses, we represent diversity coming together to create something great, something human.
In the example of this film, the different worlds are the hearing and the non-hearing, but the same morale can be applied to race, religion, or any other excuse that has ever been created to separate us as human beings.
With the idea of authenticity and equal opportunity in mind, I selected a French-American actress to play LEAH and an American Deaf actor to play NOAH. In addition to that, I have emerged myself into the San Diego Deaf community this year, which lead me to meet Jon Savage, a Deaf actor and visual artist. Since we became great friends, I learned ASL and met new leaders of the Deaf community like Nyle DiMarco and Chase Burton (and many others). Jon became as much passionate as I am about this project, and acted as a producer and acting coach during the shoot.