Five FrightFest Facts with Catherine Deevy from ‘Binding Eva’
- Interview
Peter Campbell- 0
- 5 minutes read
A forest can be a place of refuge, a place to hide, or a place where your worst fears finally catch up with you. In Binding Eva, the ancient woodlands of the Forest of Dean become something far more unsettling: a maze-like purgatory where guilt, redemption and the supernatural intertwine. Blending folk horror, psychological suspense and an emotional character-driven story, the film transforms one man’s desperate escape into a nightmare from which there may be no exit.
Making its World Premiere at Tubi FrightFest as part of the festival’s First Blood strand, Binding Eva is the feature debut from award-winning filmmaker Conscian Morgan. Following a botched criminal job, a reluctant kidnapping and an increasingly surreal journey through a forest that seems to have a life of its own, the film explores themes of consequence, forgiveness and the choices that define us. Shot largely on location in the Forest of Dean with a stripped-back crew and a commitment to naturalistic filmmaking, the production embraces the atmosphere of its setting to create a uniquely immersive experience.
At the heart of the story is Katarina, played by Catherine Deevy, whose growing body of film, television and theatre work includes Cobra, Antony & Cleopatra and Daughter of Eden. Ahead of the film’s premiere, we caught up with Deevy for our latest Five FrightFest Facts.
Catherine Deevy, star of Binding Eva
Tell us about your film
Binding Eva is a supernatural horror set in the Forest of Dean. The film follows Felix, a small-time criminal on the run, whose path crosses with Katarina and Eva, a mother and daughter, drawing them into his desperate escape. As the film unfolds, they find themselves trapped in a nightmarish, Sisyphean loop through the forest, all trying to find a way out. Expect goats, fire and a lot of running!
I’m really proud of what Conscian has created. It’s a bold, atmospheric film with a strong emotional core, and I feel very lucky to have played Katarina.
How did you get into making movies?
My dad, Christopher Dunne, is an actor who interestingly has worked a lot in horror including Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later so the industry and storytelling was a big part of my childhood.
After university I got a “proper job” and worked at a charity for a few years before taking the leap into acting and joined a theatre company. And since 2020 I’ve gradually transitioned into film and TV work which I absolutely love.
What films would you love to see screened at FrightFest and why?
There’s so many good horror movies to choose from, can I pick a few?
Oddity, phenomenal.
The Substance, groundbreaking.
Parasite, the GOAT.
Sinners, beautiful.
If you could create your own award to give at FrightFest, what would it be and why?
An award for the ultimate FrightFest superfan!
The community around the festival are so devoted and supportive and I think that enthusiasm deserves celebrating. Festivals are made just as much by the audiences as by the films themselves so it would be lovely to reward that.
If your life was made into a horror film what would it be called and who would play the starring role?
I’d call it Grit!
The life of an actor can be a real rollercoaster at times, incredible highs, plenty of setbacks and you have to keep finding the resilience to move through it.
As for who would play me, Frances McDormand or Jessie Buckley, two incredible actors with plenty of grit. I’m always in awe of the truthfulness and fearlessness of their performances.
