Talking Torn: Shame, Addiction, and Facing Our Demons– Interview with Director Ryen W. Thomas

I recently interviewed my friend and movie director Ryen William Thomas about his newest movie, Torn. The film tells the story of a troubled father who seeks solace in a remote town steeped in werewolf lore, hoping to confront his inner demons. However, as he delves deeper into the town's dark secrets, he discovers that the line between myth and reality is dangerously thin. Now, he must confront his own past and unearth the truth before he becomes entangled in the sinister legend that haunts the town. The story was written by Jordon Alexander & Benjamin Johnston and brought to life on the screen by Ryen, who does a masterful job. The film can be viewed on Amazon Prime Video here.

This was a real treat for me for a couple of reasons. It was my first conversation with a movie director about their film. Additionally, Ryen is my friend. We have talked about collaborating on a podcast several times. The time was finally right. Ryen’s new movie, Torn, is making a statement in the indie-film world and I had to talk with him about it.

The film is a thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat right up to the end. It features werewolves and werewolf lore, but it is not your typical werewolf movie. It tells the story of Peter Stube, a father who feels he must retreat to a small town, Bilford, in order to save himself— and his family. The town, though, is fighting its own demons against the backdrop of werewolf sightings and emerging conspiracy theories.

The local Sherriff, Mike Lewis, is played by Alfonso Freeman, son of Hollywood great Morgan Freeman. He attempts to befriend Peter by inviting him to help solve the town’s werewolf mystery. Once Peter agrees, he is met with the reality that he must confront his past before he can understand what is truly going on in Bilford. The movie wrestles with questions like do we become the thing that we hate? How do the myths of our community influence the way we perceive the world? What happens when we are overwhelmed with paranoia and conspiracy theories?

You can find the audio versions of this episode on Apple and Spofity.