Features Made
FEATURE FILMS PRODUCED FROM PRAXIS WORKSHOPPED SCRIPTS
FETCHING CODY 2005
Writer/director David Ray's first feature is a fantasy comedy about a street kid who tries to save his girlfriend's life by traveling back in time to make sure they never meet. It starts Jay Baruchel, Jim Byrnes and Sarah Lind and is produced by Carolyn Allain and Christina Margellos. It was supported by the NSI Features First program and is financed by Telefilm, Canwest Independent Producers Fund, and Astral Media. (Premiered at TIFF Sept. 2005).
PINK LUDOOS 2004
Pink Ludoos is a funny, charming and moving story of Gugan, a feisty Indo-Canadian girl who is set on a collision course with her traditionally-minded mother when she gets pregnant out of wedlock...with triplet girls! Written by Belle Mott and directed by Gaurav Seth, it stars Shaheen Khan, and Jazz Mann and was produced by Andrew Boutilier, Cynthia Chapman and Samantha Morris for Brightlight Pictures and CHUM-TV. It won the Best Canadian Film prize at the Reelworld Film Festival in Toronto, and was first runner-up for the Audience Award at the Whistler Festival. It has also shown at the Commonwealth Film Festival in Manchester, the Shanghai Film Festival, and numerous others.
CROSSING 2004
Crossing portrays a reluctant gangster with a devastating secret -- he likes to dress in women’s clothes. This genre-bending romantic gangster action comedy is written by Sandra Tomc and directed by Roger Larry; it stars Sebastian Spence and Crystal Bublé. Funded by Telefilm Canada, British Columbia Film, Movie Central, CHUM and Astral Media. World premiere at the Cinequest International Film Festival, San Jose (Silver Emerging Maverick Award.) To be released Fall 2005.
THE LIMIT 2004
When her next-door neighbour is murdered in his apartment, an old woman discovers he was an undercover cop and becomes mixed up in his unfinished business. Written by Matt Holland, directed by Lewin Webb, it stars Lauren Bacall, Claire Forlani , Pete Postlethwaite and Henry Czerny.
ON THE CORNER 2003
Angel and Randy Henry are a native sister and brother caught on the mean streets of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. While Angel finds the strength to escape her seemingly hopeless situation, Randy slips deeper into a world consumed by abandonment and fuelled by drugs. Written and directed by Nathaniel Geary, produced by Wendy Hyman and Marc Stephenson. Screened at the 2003 Toronto, Atlantic, Calgary and Vancouver Film Festivals; winner of the City TV Award for Best Western Canadian Feature. With funding from Telefilm Canada, British Columbia Film, Movie Central, Rogers Telefund, Showcase, Astral Media, Canada Council and APTN.
PUNCH 2003
When a widower finds a new girlfriend, his teenaged daughter acts out her jealousy with physical violence until a professional topless boxer sets her straight. Written and directed by Guy Bennett, produced by Steven Hegyes, Brightlight Pictures; starring Michael Riley and Sonja Bennett. Toronto and Vancouver Film Festivals 2002. Won Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards for Best Actress (Sonja Bennett) and Best Supporting Actress (Meredith McGeachie). Eye Weekly in Toronto called it ‘tough, smart and funny…the actors make the most of Bennett’s colourful script and lean direction." Canadian theatrical release.
THE RHINO BROTHERS 2002
A relentless hockey mom drives her three sons toward failure as she struggles to help them succeed. Written by Rudy Thauberger,directed by Dwayne Beaver, starring Gabrielle Rose and Curtis Bechdolt. Adam Nayman in Eye Weekly called it ‘a sharply observed character drama that eschews sports-film convention from the opening faceoff.’ Gabrielle Rose won a Leo Award for her performance. Canadian theatrical release.
VARIOUS POSITIONS 2002
A comic story of lost love when a law student from an Orthodox Jewish family falls for an unattainable and unacceptable half-gentile beauty. Written and directed by Ori Kowarsky, a Vancouver entertainment lawyer; produced by Karen Powell and Lori Roth, starring Tygh Runyan. It was screened at several international festivals, won the Prix du Montréal for Best First Feature at the Montréal World Film Festival, and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Slamdance Festival. Canadian theatrical release.
LUNCH WITH CHARLES 2001
A romantic comedy about a Hong Kong pop star lost in B.C. Written and directed by Michael Parker, produced by Shan Tam. Received a Genie nomination for Musical Score; won Leo Awards for Best Screenplay and Best Musical Score and was nominated for four others including Best Feature. Canadian theatrical release.
RED DEER 2001
Looking for love in all the wrong places, an ensemble of misfits keep passing up chances for happiness that they’d probably sabotage anyway. Written and Directed by Anthony Couture, produced by Derek Mack and Kevin Hall. Won a Special Jury Citation for Best Canadian First Feature at the Toronto International Film Festival.
TRIBE OF JOSEPH 2001
Written and directed by Cleetche, produced by John Conti, Tribe of Joseph is the story of a religious fanatic who kidnaps young boys and indoctrinates them into a survivalist cult.
MY FATHER'S ANGEL 1999
Two immigrants collide in Vancouver, unable to forget that in the former Yugoslavia they would have been mortal enemies. Written by Frank Borg, directed by Davor Marianovic, produced by Mort Ransen & Raymond Massey. Premiered at the Cannes Film Festival May 1999. It won a Genie for Best Actor (Tony Nardi), and was nominated for two others including Best Screenplay. It also won the Fassbinder Prize at Mannheim and eight Leo Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Writer. Canadian/U.S. theatrical release. Screenwriter Frank Borg went on to write for DaVinci’s Inquest and The 11th Hour.
NOROC 1999
Written by Rob French, directed by Marc Retailleau on DVD as a Dogme film. Screened at the Vancouver Film Festival and Local Heroes (Edmonton); opened the first Dogme Waves Festival in Milan. Nominated for five Leo Awards. Rob French is writing a MOW on the Canadian gold rush, and recently produced a short film for writer/director Tristan Schon.
ROLLERCOASTER 1999
Written and directed by Scott Smith with funding from CBC. Rollercoaster follows the misfortunes of four teenagers during a day of roaming around an out-of-season amusement park, as they deal with homophobia and violence. Toronto and Vancouver film festivals (Most Popular Canadian Film, South by Southwest Festival, Austin (Best Feature); several other prizes. Scott Smith’s second feature was Falling Angels. Canadian theatrical release.
RUPERT'S LAND (workshop reading) 1998
Written by Graeme Manson, directed by Jonathan Tammuz, produced by Scott Kennedy for Cadence Entertainment, Vancouver. Premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 1998; nominated for several Genie Awards. Rupert's Land is a road movie about two mismatched half-brothers who reluctantly drive together from Vancouver to Prince Rupert for their father's funeral. Graeme Manson is a Vancouver writer whose first feature was the futuristic thriller Cube, directed by Vince Natali. Director Jonathan Tammuz was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Film in 1991. Canadian theatrical release.
TOUCHED 1999
Written by Joan Hopper, directed by Mort Ransen and produced by Ransen and Raymond Massey. Touched is the story of a romance between an aging alcoholic café owner and a mysterious young man on the run from a mental institution. It stars Lynn Redgrave, Lolita Davidovitch and Tygh Runyan. Canadian theatrical release.
SILENCE 1997
Written by Hank Schachte, directed by Jack Darcus for CBC-TV. A native man accidentally kills his alcoholic brother when he learns his daughter has been abused. At his trial for manslaughter, he refuses out of pride and shame to admit the circumstances that would exonerate him.
TOXIC DREAMS. 1996
Written and directed by Teresa Marshall and Craig Berggold. Shot in Fall 1996 with funding from the Canada Council and the NFB. A road movie that traces the environmental devastation of the Columbia River Valley through the eyes of a young woman as she searches for her lost grandmother. Craig Berggold and Teresa Marshall divide their time between Vancouver and San Francisco, where they have made many teen-oriented videos and films on social problems.
THE HANGING GARDEN 1996
Written and directed by Thom Fitzgerald with funding from The Harold Greenberg Fund, Telefilm Canada and the Atlantic Film Development Corporation. This is a bittersweet comedy about a young gay man who returns from New York for his sister's wedding in Halifax after years of estrangement, and remembers the traumatic events that drove him away. It won the City of Toronto/CITY TV Award for Best Canadian Film at the Toronto Film Festival; five Genie Awards including the Claude Jutra Award for Best First Feature; the FIPRESCI Award at Troia; and awards for Best Canadian Screenplay and Most Popular Canadian Film at the Vancouver Festival It was distributed in the U.S. by Goldwyn. Thom Fitzgerald has since made a documentary, Beefcake, and three more features, Wolf Girl (2001) The Wild Dogs (2002), and The Event (2003). International theatrical release.
SOUL SURVIVOR 1996
Written and directed by Stephen Williams, distributed by Norstar Releasing. Soul Survivor follows the struggles of a young Jamaican immigrant to survive in a Toronto ghetto where he is dragged down equally by racism and the conflicts in his own community. The film was workshopped at Praxis in 1992 with Richard Walter as Advisor. It premiered at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for two Genie Awards, including Best Screenplay.
STARLIGHT 1996
Written by Jonathon Kay and Michael St. John Smith, produced and directed by Jonathon Kay. Distributed by Astral Releasing. Starlight is a sci-fi romance about a suicidal young man (Billy Wirth) who discovers that he is half-alien when his life is saved by a beautiful and mysterious young woman (Rae Dawn Chong). The script was workshopped at Praxis with David Sapirstein (Cocoon) as Advisor. Jonathon Kay is also known for his documentary Walking After Midnight, featuring Martin Sheen, Ringo Starr, K.D. Laing and others discussing their out-of-body experiences. Canadian theatrical release.
DOUBLE HAPPINESS 1994
Written and directed by Mina Shum, produced by Stephen Hegyes and Rose Lam Waddell. This script won the New Views competition sponsored by Telefilm Canada, BC Film and the NFB . It follows the struggles of a young Chinese-Canadian woman for independence from her traditional family, told with great comic finesse and visual style. It was the hit of both the Toronto and Vancouver Film Festivals in 1994, winning a Special Jury Citation in Toronto and the Audience Award at the Torino Festival of Young Cinema. It won two Genie Awards and was nominated for five others, including Best Screenplay and Best Motion Picture. It was screened at the Sundance Film Festival and received theatrical distribution across the U.S. and Canada. Mina Shum has since made two other features: Drive, She Said and Long Life, Prosperity and Happiness.
THE WAR BETWEEN US 1995
Written by Sharon Gibbon, directed by Anne Wheeler, produced by Gary Harvey and distributed by Atlantis Films. This film, a MOW for CBC TV, is the story of a small B.C. town that changes forever in 1942 when a camp for interned Japanese Canadians is established nearby and the two communities must find a way to coexist. Sharon Gibbon worked in partnership with her husband, producer Tony Papa, until her untimely death in August 1999.
CADILLAC GIRLS 1993
Written by Peter Behrens, directed by Nick Kendall. Distributed theatrically by Cineplex Odeon. Premiered at the Toronto Festival of Festivals. Mia Kirshner plays a rebellious California teenager delivered into the custody of her mother (Jennifer Dale) who is preparing to return to the Nova Scotia town she left in disgrace twenty years earlier. Cadillac Girls won a Genie for Best Musical Score. Peter Behrens also wrote Dog Winter for HBO, and Saltwater Moose for Norstar, Another script, Sweetgrass,, is currently in development, Canadian theatrical release.
ARKTIKOS 1991
Written and directed by Renny Bartlett. A co-production between Channel Four (Britain) and the Georgian Film Studio (USSR). Screened at several international festivals and broadcast on Channel Four. Shot in the Canadian Arctic, the USSR and Italy, Arktikos tells the tale of a mysterious plague brought into the Arctic by a stranger. The script was workshopped with Sally Potter (Orlando) as Advisor. Renny Bartlett is a Canadian filmmaker living in London who has produced several documentaries for British television and the international feature film Eisenstein, nominated for five Genie Awards in 2002.
MASALA 1991
Written and directed by Srinivas Krishna, produced by Camellia Frieberg and starring Saeed Jaffrey; distributed by Cinephile. Masala is a wild mix of Indian musical, screwball comedy and serious drama, reflecting the chaotic lives of an alienated young Indian-Canadian and his family. It was shown in festivals around the world, and released theatrically in Canada and Great Britain. The script was workshopped at Praxis in 1989 with Richard Walter (American Graffiti) as Advisor.
GERDA 1990
Written and directed by Brenda Longfellow with funding from ZDF (Germany) and the Canada Council. A stylish chronicle of the life of Gerda Munsinger, who was accused of seducing a Canadian cabinet minister into revealing state secrets which she passed on to the Soviet Union. Brenda Longfellow is an independent filmmaker and professor at York University who has made several feature-length documentaries, including Shadowcatcher, a biography of poet Gwendolyn McEwen. Her short film Our Marilyn won the Grand Prix at the Oberhausen Film Festival and her 1998 film on the women's peace movement in Belgrade won a Genie Award for Best Documentary.
NEW SHOES 1990
Written and directed by Ann Marie Fleming, 1990. Shown in many international festivals, including Berlin. An experimental drama that explores violence against women, as framed by the true story of a woman who was pursued obsessively by her husband until he shot her and then killed himself. Ann Marie Fleming has made a dozen short dramas and animated films, as well as three independent features that have been shown in festivals around the world. Her recent short, Blue Skies, won a prize for best Canadian short at the Toronto Film Festival and was nominated for a Genie.