Gareth Evans (filmmaker)
Gareth Huw Evans (born 1980) is a Welsh film director, screenwriter, editor, and action choreographer. He is best known for the Indonesian action crime films "Merantau" (2009), "The Raid" (2011), and "The Raid 2" (2014), and for bringing the Indonesian martial art of pencak silat into world cinema through these films. He is also known for creating the action crime drama television series "Gangs of London" (2020). Early life. Evans was born and raised in Hirwaun, Cynon Valley. He graduated from the University of Glamorgan (now the University of South Wales) with an MA in screenwriting. Career . After directing a small-budget film called "Footsteps", Evans was hired as a freelance director for a documentary about the Indonesian martial art pencak silat. He became fascinated with it, and discovered Indonesian martial artist Iko Uwais, who was working as a deliveryman for a phone company. Evans cast Uwais in his 2009 film "Merantau". He planned to produce a larger action film, but scaled the production budget down and created an action film called "The Raid" (2011). After the success of "The Raid", the larger action film eventually became the basis for its sequel, "" (2014). In late 2016, Evans  started working on his next film, "Apostle", which stars Dan Stevens. The film was released by Netflix on 12 October 2018. In October 2017, "TheWrap" reported that Evans had pitched his idea for a "Deathstroke" solo film and is in early talks to write and direct. Evans also passed on directing a "Justice League Dark" film. However, in April 2020, Evans said that the film had been delayed and that he was no longer actively involved with the project. Personal life. Evans lived in Jakarta with his wife, Maya, and their daughter, until the family moved back to Wales in  2015. Filmography. Film. Executive producer Awards. In November 2011, "The Raid" won the Midnight Madness Award at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2011.