Category Archives: Film

TAKE A TRIP DOWN GRAVEL ROAD WITH AUSSIE DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER TRISTAN PEMBERTON

Since arriving back in Toronto from my 2 months traveling around Australia’s most remote towns, I’ve been obsessed with maintaining contact with new Down Under friends as well as Aussie social media news and information, especially about filmmakers and musicians. One story particularly piqued my interest as it dealt with both those subjects: it told the story of documentary filmmaker, Tristan Pemberton, and his passion project – a new documentary film that told the story of an indigenous rock band as they toured the Australian outback in some of the country’s most remote places.

Gravel Road tells the real-life story of Jay Minning, singer-songwriter of the most isolated rock band in the world, The Desert Stars. His four-piece bandmates are traditional land owners of Spinifex Country in the Great Victoria Desert of Western Australia, which is home to the last nomadic people in Australia.  From their home in Tjuntjuntjara, the film follows Minning and his band’s first ever tour as they rock their way across the Western Desert with songs of hunter-gatherer life. Their elders survived the British atomic testing (at the infamous Maralinga site) and the band’s profound connection to culture spans back 2,000 generations. With customary Spinifex reciprocity, Minning shares the journey with East-Coast friends, a band named The Re-mains, providing a rare glimpse into his country, his culture, his music and his extraordinary everyday life. Producer/director Pemberton (shown below with editor Harriet Clutterbuck, ASE) previously collaborated with the community of Tjuntjuntjara and The Desert Stars for many years. He produced short films The Cheater and Maku Digging; the documentary Ara Wankatjara Nyinanyi (The Good Health Story) for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Outback Stories show; a short for Spinifex Health Service Ukuri Wiya (Ganga is Bad); the music promo for The Desert Stars homelands tribute Tjuntjuntjara; and most recently The Tjuntjuntjara Story, a staff recruitment film for the Paupiyala Tjarutja Aboriginal Corporation (PTAC).It’s taken some 3 years to research, film, edit and finally get the documentary on screen: Gravel Road is now screening around the world at international film festivals and last month it was screened at CineFest Oz film festival in Western Australia. The band made a surprise live appearance after the film screened, delighting theatregoers. The audience demanded so many encores, the band ran out of material! Offers for them to appear nationwide are now pouring in.I recently e-chatted with Tristan about his journey with Jay and the band, his relationship with the Tjuntjuntjara community, the filming process, the hardships of filming on the road with a small crew and then pulling it all together in order to launch at film festivals across the country…..

Tristan, you’ve worked on several previous projects involving the remote Tjuntjuntjara community – what was so special about Jay and his band’s tour that fired your imagination?  Jay and the Desert Stars are traditional landowners of Spinifex Country where, in 1986, the last hunter gatherer nomadic people in Australia and possibly the world – a family of seven – made contact for the first time. My journey to research the facts around those events started over ten years ago, and my passion to tell that story with Tjuntjuntjara Community – with the community’s full support – hasn’t waned. The fact is, Spinifex People, due to their isolation, have managed to keep culture very intact and remained some of the most traditional people left in Australia, and probably the planet. So the Spinifex People have a unique place in Australian and world history, and Jay writes his songs, tells his stories, from that perspective. That in itself fascinates me and lights that fire in my belly to share Jay’s stories and music through film.Were you a fan of The Desert Stars/Re-Mains prior to shooting the film? Yes. I’d first heard of the Desert Stars on my second trip to community where I was running a filmmaking workshop. Together we’d made a short film, called The Cheater, and during post-production we were looking to add music to the edit. A couple of people involved in post immediately suggested we add some Desert Stars music as they were the local rock band. A CD appeared shortly after and I heard their music for the first time.  It was such a perfect fit, with songs that reflected culture of life in the desert and the Spinifex experience. And what great songs. Jay really is a gifted songwriter, weaving his life experiences into catchy melody and poetry, with a great 80s rock feel.

Did you discover new truths about the community, the country, the musicians or yourself over the years it took to get the story to the screen? As long as you keep pushing yourself, I don’t think you ever stop learning about yourself and the world. Filmmaking is hard work, and it never really gets easier. But it’s made easier by the contributions of others. They say it takes a village to raise a child, well the same can be said of a film. Without its village, its own little community, most films never get made, or have a chance to find its audience once completed. So as a filmmaker one of the most important jobs is to surround that story idea with its own community who’ll support and protect it and help it grow into something bigger and stronger. It’s been incredibly humbling to watch as so many have invested time and energy into Gravel Road, with their only reward the hope that it, and the band, will succeed in finding an audience.How important was the input from local elders when telling the band’s story and that of the community itself?  Absolutely critical. Without input from elders and the collaborative support of the Tjuntjuntjara community, there’s simply no way I could, or would wish to, tell Jay’s or any story that belonged to the Spinifex People. Afterall, they are not my stories. I just see myself as a conduit, using my skills to walk with and work with Tjuntjuntjara community so together we can share their stories. Collaboration only works when there’s genuine ngaapartji ngaapartji (reciprocity) and cross-cultural consultation and understanding. Jay was the first person – outside the post team – to see an edit, and subsequent edits. And once complete, a private community screening was arranged where all community members were invited to attend. I would never allow a community film to go out into the world before the community got to see it first so they are happy that it’s not mis-representing their story, or presenting anything of cultural concern that shouldn’t be seen or heard. Once Gravel Road had Tjuntjuntjara’s community blessing, it then started its journey beyond the desert into the world.

Did you encounter any resistance from Jay or the musicians when shooting scenes that perhaps revealed more on a personal basis than perhaps they wished to share? And if so, how did you strike a balance with creative differences?  Not really. The band were very open to allow me access to their lives during the time I was travelling with them. Occasionally I’d be advised not to record a certain landscape, or capture a particular location – but that was always for cultural reasons which I completely respect and had no reason to challenge.  At the same time, I was careful not to push people too far. As a documentary filmmaker you have to use your intuition – or simply ask – to work out when the people you’re recording are getting film fatigue. Sometimes people just want a break from the camera and have some personal space, so I was always acutely aware to allow that to happen when needed. (Jay is also an artist who shares stories through his paintings- see below)After watching the trailer, I can see how all that bumpy dirt road traveling must have put a strain on both your vehicles and your own bodies – how many flat tires, broken axles, empty petrol tanks or back aches took their toll on the musicians and crew?  So as not to spoil the film, I guess you’ll have to watch Gravel Road to really answer that question.  Though I will say it certainly was uncomfortable sitting in a bus driving over corrugated road for hours and hours, days and days on end. On one of the days sitting on the bus I calculated that if we were hitting 50 corrugations (vibrations) a second, it works out to be 180,000 vibration per hour or about 1.5 million vibrations after 8 hours of driving. That plays havoc on electrical and mechanical equipment, not to mention our bodies.As director, cinematographer and co-producer of Gravel Road, how time-consuming was this project and did you have any sort of personal life throughout production? During the shooting phase, I didn’t have much of a personal life at all. Shooting documentary is all consuming, especially when working in remote locations. There was no sound recordist, or any other crew, with me so I had to be on, or ready to go any time during the day and most nights. Even when exhausted you have to be ready to get going. You never know when you might need to capture that critical piece of the action which will help to drive the narrative forward. It’s hard work!How do you hope audiences respond/react to the film both in Australia and when the film hits international screens?  We had our world premiere at Phoenix Film Festival, Arizona USA in April. The feedback from audiences there was very positive with loads of lively and engaging discussion after every screening. Later in April Gravel Road appeared at Poppy Jasper International Film Festival in Morgan Hill, California (just south of San Francisco) where it won Best Documentary Feature award. There, too, we had great discussions around the film, the band and the Spinifex People.  So far, the feedback we’ve had has been really positive and audiences have enjoyed Jay’s passion for his music and enthusiasm to share his stories. We often get comments about how great the band play and what wonderful, catchy songs they perform. There’re often comments about the landscape that the band passed through. It’s a feel-good film which shares a really positive story about how the Spinifex People have survived atomic testing and the ravages of colonialism to rise above, keep culture strong and succeed.

Thank you, Tristan, and good luck with Gravel Road as it rolls out into wide release in cinemas around Australia and the world.  If you want to learn more about the documentary, visit the official website or follow Tristan and the film on social media:

https://gravelroadfilm.com/

https://www.facebook.com/gravelroadfilm

https://www.instagram.com/gravelroadfilm/

 

THE LONG RIDER documentary feature coming to Canadian cinemas June 24

Opening in Canadian cinemas next week (June 24), the new feature-length documentary film, THE LONG RIDER, follows a young man’s journey on horseback from Canada, through the continental United States, Mexico, Central America then into South America on his way to his country of birth, Brazil.When Filipe Masetti Leite leaves his adoptive home of Canada, he sets out on an epic quest to ride from Calgary, Alberta, to his family’s home in Brazil – and later beyond – entirely on horseback. Inspired by Aimé Tschiffely’s legendary 1925 equestrian journey from Argentina to New York, Filipe’s 8-year odyssey of over 25,000 kms across twelve international borders, sees him and his trusty mounts battle intense heat, drought, speeding transport trucks, nature’s wrath and corrupt border guards on his history-making long ride home.

Apart from being a world-renowned Long Rider, Filipe is an award-winning journalist, and best-selling author. The Brazilian-born cowboy is the youngest person in the world to cross the Americas on horseback. In 2020 he was chosen as the Calgary Stampede’s Grand Marshal and ‘white-hatted’ by Mayor Naheed Nenshi. He is the author of the best-sellers, Long Ride Home (soon to be a motion picture) and Long Ride to the End of the World, published in Portuguese (Harper Collins) and English, soon to be released in Spanish. He is a regular contributor to The Toronto Star, a frequent guest on Rede Globo’s Fantastico, Brazil’s most watched Sunday night television show, and is writing his third memoir, Last Long Ride.Culled from over 500 hours of never-before-seen footage, the documentary deals with the issue of chronic loneliness and the insensitive, restrictive and frustrating nature of international borders, but regardless of all that, it’s an inspiring and emotional story of the most daring and epic proportions.

The Long Rider has been 10 years in the making. Shot almost entirely by Filipe on his cross-continental long ride, and directed by award-winning filmmaker Sean Cisterna, who went to the same high school as the cowboy, the duo seemed destined to bring this epic story to life.  The kindness of humanity is on display in The Long Rider, made evident through the extraordinary strangers who helped Filipe along his journey. In these challenging times, The Long Rider offers hope and inspiration, one hoof at a time.“Filipe made an historically important equestrian journey, overcame tremendous challenges, suffered in the saddle physically and emotionally, and after a Herculean effort, rode into his beloved hometown in triumph”.  – Cuchullaine O’Reilly, Founder of the Long Riders’ Guild and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Being a pony-club brat from childhood, this film fascinated me…could I ever have undertaken such a ride? Of course not, but I have such respect for Filipe and his beautiful loyal horses, Frenchie, Bruiser, Dude plus several others throughout the journey. So many disasters along the way including Frenchie (the palomino) getting hit by a truck in the middle of nowhere during a thunder storm that required serious veterinary treatment and a long period of recuperation that kept the trek on-hold for several weeks.Filipe and the producers have been asked so many questions during this pre-release publicity tour, such as…

Q: How long did it take to film The Long Rider?
A: The journey portion of the documentary took place over 8 years, and the interviews were collected over the course of 1 year. With all that footage, the editing process took almost 2 years.

Q: What countries was The Long Rider filmed in?
A: The Long Rider was filmed in 13 different countries – Canada, the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. In addition, the interview segments with the Long Rider’s Guild founder Cuchullaine O’Reilly was filmed in France.

Q: How about the horses’ well-being?
A: Filipe, an experienced rider and equestrian competitor who rode with his father since he was a baby, spent two years speaking to Long Riders around the world to learn how to properly travel on horseback. Through the Long Riders Guild, the world’s first international association of equestrian explorers and long-distance travelers, Filipe was also awarded the opportunity to participate in Stan Walchuk’s wilderness riding clinic in Northern British Columbia. Filipe always had his animals’ health in mind, travelling only thirty kilometres a day, taking lots of rest days, and never pushing them.Q: Was there a film crew travelling with Filipe the entire time?
A: No, for the most part, the journey footage seen in The Long Rider was captured by Filipe himself using a tripod, or by locals and friends that he encountered along the way.

In fact, the scenery itself was another “character” in the film – towering mountain ranges, snowy forests and winding highways, hot dry deserts, swampy marshes, and hard stony plains. And so many welcoming, smiling faces as Filipe and the horses clip-clopped into tiny villages and towns, some of which weren’t even on the maps. The emotional toll taken on the young man was also shown as part of the film – audiences are privy to Filipe’s joys, fears, frustrations and anger, the loss of his long-time girlfriend whose support was so valuable, then meeting the woman who was to become his wife towards the end of the ride all bring a sense of intimacy and triumph.

The Long Rider is due for release the last week of June and early July in cinemas across the country. The first pair of boots he wore on his Long Ride (below) are on display at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto…..…and two statues, more than five meters tall, have been erected in Brazil to celebrate his feat. The documentary has already won several awards and received Official Selection status in various international film festivals.Credits
Mythic Productions & Mojo Global Arts presents The Long Rider in association with NC2 Media
Directed & produced by Sean Cisterna
Executive Producers: Filipe Masetti Leite, Peter Hawkins, Arnon Melo, Sonya Di Rienzo, and Aeschylus Poulos
Director of Photography: Filipe Masetti Leite
Interview Cinematography: Carl Elster and Ingrid Vido
Editor: Lee Walker

Follow Filipe on Instagram @filipemasetti

OSCAR-WINNING DIRECTOR GUILLERMO DEL TORO CALLS ON THE EVASONS FOR ADVICE FOR HIS LATEST FILM “NIGHTMARE ALLEY”.

Over the past few weeks, my TV has been dominated by ads for an exciting new feature film, Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro’s noir-themed “Nightmare Alley” which opens this Friday, December 17th. The film stars Bradley Cooper and Rooney Mara along with an outstanding cast of A-listers including my fave Aussie ladies, Cate Blanchett and Toni Collette. I was thrilled, then, to receive a message from the world’s leading mentalist duo, Tessa and Jeff Evason, telling me about their participation in the film, too.When del Toro was going over the script, he wanted to ensure authenticity for the various scenes showing how mentalists work with their audiences. So after a few international phones calls and emails, he was introduced to the Evasons who are considered the best working mentalists in the world!I met Tessa and Jeff several years ago and they told me that one day we would work together – yes, they nailed that one for sure…now here we are.  I spoke with them 2 days ago and asked them to share the experience of getting the phone call that has brought them into a whole new circle of friends and business opportunities.

Tessa & Jeff, tell me how you became specialist consultants on Guillermo del Toro’s latest Hollywood blockbuster, Nightmare Alley – how did he find you?  It was the summer of 2019, we were at our cottage in Canada. We got a phone call from the office of producer Miles Dale. He said Guillermo del Toro was on the other line and he would like to chat with us about his upcoming film, Nightmare Alley. We looked at each other, wondered if it was a prank call, but it really was Guillermo on the line. OMG! He was just so friendly and warm, and incredibly nice. He told us we had some mutual friends, Teller (from Penn & Teller) and Derren Brown (mentalist from England), and that when he asked them if there was two-person mentalism team that he should speak with, they both said we were the ones.Without giving anything away, what did the Oscar-winning director ask of you?  Guillermo said that he was a huge fan of magic, and a member of the Magic Castle (private club in Hollywood, which we are also members of). He felt it was important that he remain true to the original story, and to also be respectful of magic history. Our task was to read the script (and every revision that followed) to provide notes about any scenes that pertained to methods, psychology and the performance of mentalism. On the first phone call, Guillermo  told us about his love and respect for magic. He was sensitive about exposure of secret methods, and he didn’t want to reveal any more than necessary in his movie, while keeping the storyline as authentic as possible. He wanted our perspective, as experts in the field of two-person mentalism, to advise and give insight line by line, scene by scene. Anyone who hasn’t studied what we have studied, to the depth and degree that we have studied and performed, has no idea what is possible with two-person telepathy. Some things in his original script sounded great and made for an interesting story, but just weren’t practical for a mentalism team to actually perform on stage during the era when the story takes place. Nightmare Alley was originally a novel by William Lindsay Gresham published in 1946. It has always had a degree of controversy among magicians and mentalists, yet it’s a film that we all love because we can relate to it in so many ways.

Del Toro is a big fan of magic and mind-reading – did you find him open to suggestions for certain scenes?  Oh yes! He was quite receptive to the many notes and ideas we contributed. We read quite a few revisions of the script. We had a blast doing it! You know for us it was really about keeping the scenes that involved mind reading and mentalism as realistic as possible, while at the same time remembering Nightmare Alley is a movie, not a documentary, and therefore it had license to bend the truth. Production had an unfortunate major delay due to the pandemic, and we imagine they had to make quite a few changes along the way because of that. We’re very keen to see the finished product.

You have created a great reputation in the corporate events world for presenting astounding feats of mentalism – have you been able to sustain work throughout the pandemic? Did you adapt by conducting events online?  We’re so fortunate to be working with some of the best entertainment agents and bureaus in the business. The agent who represents us, also represents many of the best magicians and mentalists on the planet. His name is Bill, and more than a business associate, he is a friend. He has given us so much encouragement and guidance before and during the pandemic. At first we were like everyone else, thinking life would soon get back to normal. As time went on, we resisted doing virtual shows. But then we tried doing a few guest spots on virtual charity events and we found that what we did worked really well virtually – sometimes even more unbelievable than live performances. Since then, we’ve been doing virtual shows regularly and we love it! Today, for example, we woke up early to do an 8:00am show for an audience in the UK, then later in the day we did a show for a North American group, and at 3:00am we performed for a group in Japan! We literally travel around the world to do 3 shows in less than 24 hours – how amazing is that?!

Do you think virtual shows may be the way of the future for corporate events and public shows?  We have no doubt that virtual meetings and events are here to stay. And fortunately for us, magic and mentalism is one of the best forms of entertainment for online platforms. Attendees become active participants, and the more interactive the show is, the more engaged the audience becomes. It’s not just about watching the performer, a big part of the appeal for attendees is watching each other, so Zoom shows work really well. Many of the groups we have performed for tell us they plan to continue doing virtual events even after they return to doing live events. During these strange times, we’ve thought a lot about the performers who successfully transitioned from Vaudeville theaters to film, and later to radio and TV. Who knows where we’re headed with virtual shows, but we do know this is a time where we need to embrace change. In many ways it’s an exciting era and we’re thrilled to be part of it!

“They turned a roomful of arms-folded skeptics into intrigued believers.” – Toronto Star

“They left audiences aghast with their abilities” – Carte Blanche, South Africa

“Their mind-reading act was one of the most incredible displays this reviewer has ever witnessed.” – Evening Chronicle, Newcastle Upon Tyne  What is the most exciting thing about being involved with Nightmare Alley? Would you like to be the go-to experts for other films or tv shows?  Nightmare Alley is one of our favorite movies of all time, and Guillermo del Toro is such a legend. What an honor to be involved on any level! The most exciting thing about it is probably just to have had the opportunity and to be able to include it on our resume. Life is all about variety and having as many amazing experiences as possible. This certainly has been a significant highlight for us, and yes, we definitely would love to be the “go-to experts” for this genre for other films or tv shows or media appearances.

As 2022 is fast approaching, are you and your US booking agent planning any live events, corporate or public, next year or are you simply working on a day-by-day basis?  Yes, we are planning live events and have quite a few dates booked on our calendar. In fact, we’ve already done a lot of live events. Our first show back after a year and a half hiatus was in August at Lilly Dale in upstate New York. It’s a beautiful little town, actually a hamlet, where psychics and mediums live and work. It’s known as the world’s largest spiritualist community. Working there was another highlight for us. Since then, we’ve also done colleges and corporate events in the US and in Canada. Next month (January, 2022) we are excited to be appearing nightly for ticketed public shows at Liberty Magic, a lovely intimate theatre in Pittsburgh, PA.To book a live or virtual show, corporate event, or learn more about Tessa and Jeff Evason and their amazing skills, visit: www.evason.com and be sure to check out Nightmare Alley when it opens in a cinema near you.

CANADIAN INT’L FAITH & FAMILY FILM FEST STARTS TODAY!

Just as the Toronto Int’l Film Festival (TIFF) closes, the 5th annual Canadian Int’l Faith & Family Film Festival opens! My dear film industry friends BRIAN KAULBACK (CIFF Ambassador and member of judging panel) and festival Co-Founder & Exec. Director JASON BARBECK invited me down the the exclusive Hotel X on Toronto’s waterfront today to talk about this unique family and faith-focused festival that runs online for an entire month, and features films, shorts, documentaries, even animated films that are suitable for ALL the family. Jason graciously offered to share information about CIFF with me via a series of video chats so I encourage you to click on and learn about the cool content and activities at this year’s festival.

Every year, the CIFF Film Festival exhibits and celebrates the most outstanding faith and family content produced from every part of the world. Films are selected and nominated by a panel of judges on the basis of content, quality and originality.  CIFF is one of the fastest growing segments of the international film festival markets, and the only one of its kind in Canada.audience Film lovers, industry professionals and media outlets will celebrate the best in new faith and family cinema from established and emerging filmmakers and talent. This year, CIFF will be showing films from 22 countries around the world via their website: www.cifflix.com  Get your online passes there NOW. The festival runs until mid-October so you can catch all the films as well as tonight’s Awards Gala from the comfort of your home.

And there will be lots of celebrities and stars in virtual attendance, too….

colmCIFF Film Fest welcomes submissions from filmmakers around the world so come on all my Aussie movie making mates…here’s how YOU can submit your latest production and access a growing audience of film lovers who appreciate inspiring, family-oriented and faith-based content……

I encourage you to visit the festival’s official website: www.cifflix.com or follow them on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.logo

AUSTRALIAN FILM ACTOR DEAN KYRWOOD ON VERGE OF INT’L BREAKTHROUGH!

Late last year, I attended online screenings and director/cast discussions of Australian films that were part of the annual NAIDOC (National Aboriginal and Islanders Day Observance Committee) Week  that shines a spotlight on Indigenous Australian culture and communities, as well as history and arts. One exciting indie film I was eager to see was The Flood which, based on so many sad facts, tells the story of post-WWII Australia and how the white population mistreated and abused the native population of this distant outpost of British colonial power. There were so many fantastic performances but one (or should I say two) stood out – that of DEAN KYRWOOD (pictured below on set), a stunningly handsome actor who reveled in his dual roles of portraying twins – one brutal and sadistic, the other a weakly coward. After the online screening held in the wee small hours here in Toronto (we’re about 12-14hrs behind Australia), I asked a few questions and then connected directly with director Victoria Wharfe McIntyre for a blog interview. Through her, I connected with Dean whose work I’ve followed ever since.  floodI reached out to Dean to share his acting journey with my readers, just in time for TIFF (Toronto Int’l Film Festival) which opened a few days ago. With the lack of glamourous galas, swanky industry soirees and public red carpets this year due to Covid restrictions, here’s a great way to celebrate film – sharing stories from the sets and learning about actors from around the world.

Dean, not only are you an actor but also an accomplished musician & singer, a fashion & photographic model, and more recently you’ve been doing a lot of weight training and building your body to super hero status. Do you consider yourself a driven person?  First and foremost, I consider myself an actor and a musician, and the modelling thing (I’m showing my age) I retired from a couple of decades ago. I consider myself very driven and tenacious and have always been drawn to the arts. Every time I have ventured into one arena I’m told a lot of “no’s” and I’m fueled by these “no’s”. “You’re too short to be a model” (I’m 6ft tall) I’ve had singing booking agents tell me in the beginning “You’ll only ever be able to do this part time” (I’ve been living off full time singing for close to 20 years). In acting you’re constantly told no but you have to (like Arnold Schwarzenegger says) ignore the naysayers. It only takes a few “believers” to champion you for you to succeed along with hard work and I have a mental list of naysayers in my mind that I look forward to saying “I told you so” to when they’re suddenly supporters of mine. I’m not naturally talented at much, but I’ll outwork anyone!158909586_10159207131602673_3907553845166363361_nStarting out as a model, you shot print ads and promo images – how did that help build your confidence and comfort in front of cameras?  Being a painfully shy kid, it certainly did help build my confidence and it was a necessary baby step towards me going into singing/playing in front of large crowds and, in turn, performing for years as a musician also became a necessary step in the scheme of things for me to feel confident enough to embrace and take the plunge of being in front of people as an actor.

I gather you were a popular musician in and around Newcastle, playing the best venues and at corporate functions – were you torn between pursuing music and acting or did you already have a plan to move into film and television?  These days I mostly perform in and around Newcastle, but also did long stints in Sydney and Melbourne. No, to be honest I’ve never been torn between the two. I mostly play cover songs these days (with some of my own thrown in) but I don’t have the fire in my belly to “make it” as a musician that I had in my 20’s/30’s. That fire has been very much directed at my acting career and it’s my main focus, but I feel equally gratified in the doing of both.

You and I first met (online) when you starred in last year’s hit feature film The Flood where you played dual roles critical to the story line – you portrayed twins, one of whom was extremely cruel. How did you find the humanity in such a character and how easy was it to slip between the two brothers in different scenes?  It was lovely to meet you!! I really appreciate all your support. It was certainly challenging in a good way to play twins who are both very different to me. To find the humanity in both, I had to look hard at the back story of their childhood and upbringings and that the “cruel” twin just like the more empathic twin were how they were as a result of pain and abuse from a young age. Obviously, the cruel twin’s actions are horrific and abhorrent, but in his mind in the particular circumstances of the film his actions seem justified to him, considering what was taken from him. At times it was extremely draining as a real empath to embody such cruelty, but I remember a conversation I had with actor Mark Coles Smith (when I was filming a short called Miro with him, with the same director Victoria Wharfe McIntyre) where we discussed not letting my natural empathy get in the way of really going there and being completely truthful in the moment so as to not water down the mistreatment and horrific things inflicted on indigenous people in Australia in our past. It was also difficult to play the seemingly weak/cowardly twin because he somewhat resembled that painfully shy teenager that I was. Surprisingly, I found it relatively easy and am realizing I tend to work from the outside in as an actor a lot, meaning with the expertise of hair and make-up and wardrobe, I feel my inner life/demeanor/body language shift the moment that wardrobe and hair and makeup are on me. Pictured below, with Alexis Lane and Shaka Cook, then in B&W with Brendan Bacon.the-flood-cinema-australia-2Brendan and DeanThe Flood was writer/director Victoria Wharfe McIntyre’s debut feature and she did an amazing job with the large cast – did you feel like you were part of something very special and was there anything you learned from that gig that you can apply to future roles?  I feel incredibly grateful to Victoria and producer Armi Marquez-Perez for giving me the opportunity and the belief they bestowed upon me in giving me a lead role in such a special film when they could have easily gone with a big name actor. That is an example of what I said in an earlier question in regards to only needing a few “believers”. Something I can take forward into future roles is that playing a lead doesn’t have to be a big scary proposition, when you have so much time to just take each day as a new day and break it down into small sections and not look at it as a huge whole that’s intimidating or overwhelming. Another thing I learnt being able to act almost every day for 7 weeks, was that there’s dramatic power in the silence in a scene and being in the moment and not rushing through a scene and to take risks within them.poster for social mediaYou also appeared in Moon Rock for Monday (2019), a popular film that actually made it up here to N. America – did you have any scenes with David Field, one of Australia’s great actors known especially for playing twitchy bad guys?  It’s so nice seeing “Moon Rock For Monday” getting out into the world. It’s a gorgeous story and the most family friendly film I’ve done so far. No, unfortunately I didn’t have any scenes with the incredible David Field. I’ve been a huge fan of his since seeing him in “Two Hands” with Heath Ledger, Rose Byrne and Bryan Brown and I feel so blessed to be in the same cast as David all these years later.MoonRockforMondayWebPoster2You’re currently starring in the horror short “Mask of the Evil Apparition” by director Alex Proyas, which is getting lots of buzz on social media as well as the festival circuit. Tell us about your role and how much you enjoyed the horror film experience.  I was pinching myself when Alex offered me the roles of Angelo 1 and Angelo 2 (twins again!!) in “Mask of the Evil Apparition” or as we affectionately call it MOTEA, but I quickly became aware upon chatting to/meeting Alex, that he’s a really humble, intelligent and fun guy and the entire experience was an absolute pleasure, and following the experience of “The Flood” I felt more than ready to give it my all with confidence. It certainly is getting a lot of festival love and for anyone interested in seeing it, it will available on a new exciting/innovative new streaming platform that Alex is creating called Vidiverse which will be a platform for indie filmmakers. I can’t say a lot more than the characters are psychic twins at this point and it was such a pleasure to play in this film opposite the three other incredible actors Bonnie Ferguson (Lead), Goran D Kleut and Alex King. I just approach the Horror genre like any other and was seeking being truthful in each moment. It was the first time for me working in a completely green screen environment, but acting is suspension of disbelief and imagination in any environment and I loved it and would do it again with bells on!mask_of_the_evil_apparition_s-148570621-largewith Alex Proyas and Bonnie FergusonYou were co-lead in another thriller/horror feature film called Water Horse (directed by Jennifer Van Gessel) that was shot last year and is due for Australian release soon (and hopefully in N. America, too) – what sort of character did you play in that and how did you approach the role?  I’m really excited about the impending release of Water Horse with it being my second lead role in a feature film and was a great experience to make with two of my best friends in super talented writer/director Jennifer Van Gessel and the real star of the film, Lauren Grimson. I play a character called Osmond (Oz) Shaw who is probably a character closest to my real self that I’ve played. That said, there are enough differences between the character and myself that it didn’t feel too revealing. I guess I mostly approached the character in a way of “How would I feel/react in this situation myself”. Oz works with Dianne Wilson (Lauren Grimson) a paranormal investigator who links a bizarre string of seemingly unrelated events to the disappearance of her mother.

We’ll soon get to see you in a cool cameo in the upcoming Zombie film Wyrmwood: Apocalypse (due out in 2022) – any special training you had to undergo for the role? And are you a fan of The Walking Dead?  Being such a huge fan of Kiah Roache-Turner and Tristan Roache-Turner’s first Wyrmwood film I jumped at the chance to do a memorable cameo in the second one!! I didn’t really require any training as I’m constantly training with weights and doing cardio in my daily life and I have played quite a few roles that involved military type training and stunt work. I’m excited to see it and yes, I’m a massive fan of the first 4 or 5 seasons of The Walking Dead but haven’t had a chance to catch up on the last few. WyrmwoodDean K July 21 (2)I gather you’re embarking on writing your own script – can you give us a hint what it’s about?  Yes I have!! I haven’t decided upon a title as yet, but I guess it would be in the psychological thriller/sci-fi/horror genre and I’m looking for the right producer/director to get it from page to screen. I would describe it as a story that puts you into the kind of uncomfortable place that directors like Darren Aronofsky, Ari Aster and Jennifer Kent put you in.

Dean, how can film fans follow your career? Do you have a website yet or should people follow you on social media?  You can follow me on Instagram at @deankyrwoodofficial or Dean Kyrwood on Facebook. I also have a YouTube channel that has some of my songs and covers at it if you search Dean Kyrwood. Thanks so much for the interview and all the best with the blog, Glenda!!

You’re very welcome, Dean, and I’m thrilled to be able to share your story with other actors, filmmakers and movie fans.

 

ACTOR KRISTA BARZSO PRODUCES AN EMOTIONAL & VERY PERSONAL FILM “PERSISTENCE” BASED ON HER OWN SCRIPT

Some time ago, I had one of those great phone conversations with local actor, KRISTA BARZSO, talking about how I might be able to help her career, how a publicity and promo campaign could support her and hints of her upcoming project – her debut as producer and screenwriter of “Persistence”, a short film based on her own personal experiences. Krista’s passion and enthusiasm intrigued me and to borrow from another film…she had me at “hello”!

Skip ahead to just a few weeks ago when I again heard her voice on the phone, this time even more excited and focused – her film was ready to roll and she had just launched an IndieGoGo fundraising campaign in order to underwrite the pending production costs. So I hope you enjoy this virtual meet-n-greet with Krista and if you would like to offer this exciting emerging Canadian filmmaker a hand-up, here’s the link where you can donate to her film’s budget: https://bit.ly/2VgcqtW

Persistence is a story about what happens when romantic intentions cross over into stalking. The film explores what happens when trusts are broken but laws aren’t, and just how much damage can be done to someone’s life in that space between.

You’ve acted for many years on stage, screen and tv – what has inspired you to now write and produce?  I love acting and the exploration of the characters that you get to bring to life, but I wanted to try writing to get to explore another aspect of storytelling that would allow me to create my own story completely from the ground-up, and producing has allowed me to get to see this project all the way through from concept to fruition.

You have an exciting new film project titled “Persistence” that you’ve written and considering the subject matter (possessiveness, stalking, emotional control) I have to ask…have you experienced this in real life? 

You’ve assembled a great cast and crew, and are now going thru the funding process – apart from securing financial support, I bet you’re all looking forward to working after the long pandemic lockdown and quarantine period – what did you do during the lockdown?  I am always looking forward to getting back on set! But you’re right, that feeling is definitely amplified after going through such a long lockdown period.  I was really lucky and did have the opportunity to work on a few projects even during quarantine, but for the rest of the time my main focus was on finding ways to constantly be growing my skills. It was really important to me to know that I was going to come out of lockdown with more tools in my toolbox than when it began.

One of the plus sides to all of this is that a lot of acting teachers/schools around the world, found ways to work in a digital space. This has opened opportunities to train with companies around the world that I might not have had access to before. I signed on with an acting coach Neil Schell who has been working with me all the way from Kenya to hone my auditioning skills and career trajectory, and I’ve been training my improv skills with the renowned Groundlings School in LA. in addition to writing and producing my first screenplay, of course!

You’ve enjoyed much success with previous short films on the festival circuit – with Persistence, do you have plans to submit to Canadian and int’l festivals or do you want to secure immediate showcasing opportunities on one of the many online platforms?

You’ve become quite the expert in stage combat, weaponry and screen fight & martial arts skills – are you aiming to become the next superhero like Black Widow or any of the Marvel/DC Comics super heroes? Please share some of your training stories. I would love that so much! It is definitely a dream of mine. I love portraying intense, complicated, bad-ass women and a lot of those stories involve some kind of physicality. The major action sequences often come at critical points in the story, so it is important to me to be able to do those scenes justice so that it is believable that my character is actually going through the turmoil that you are seeing on screen.behind the scenes as an Archer in an undisclosed TV pilotI originally started this training so that I would have a better handle on how to approach these scenes safely and ended up completely falling in love with the art form; it’s like really violent dancing. I still have so much to learn, but I have had so much fun in the past training how to work safely with various weapon systems for stage and screen at Rapier Wit. One of my favourites was found weapon, where you take everyday objects and try to turn them into weapons in a fight sequence.
Obviously in-person training has been difficult during quarantine, but I was lucky enough to find Taz Garcia who is an amazing actor/director and who has worked Jackie Chan and the Jackie Chan stunt team, and I have been doing some virtual Action for Film training with him. It’s a little tricky to find the space in my house and I think my family thinks I’m nuts sometimes with all the sound effects I make while training, but that is the price we pay!

Do you see your career continuing with a focus on acting or doing more writing and directing?

 Who has been your industry inspiration or who has helped you the most with your career aspirations?   There are so many people who have helped me and who continue to help me along the way. Teachers who have taught and encouraged me and colleagues who’s drive and ambition has inspired me. Most recently, my coach Neil Schell has pushed me to try things outside my comfort zone and has really helped me view my career and believe in my talents in a different way. He is also going to be directing my short next month. Here’s Krista in some of her many acting roles…BeFunky Collage (1)Any advice to others wanting to develop their directing and/or writing skills?  Do your research. Read lots of books, lots of screenplays, watch lots of movies, see the differences between the screenplay and the movie and how the director went about brining it to life – then stop doing research and just do it.  There is no magic book that is going to fully prepare you ahead of time. There is no teacher like experience, and you will learn more through the act of attempting it yourself than you ever will by just reading about it. Try it and get feedback from people who know what they are talking about, then try it again. You will learn a ton, and your next one will be better.

More about Krista:  Krista has had a passion for acting from a very young age. Over the years she has had the good fortune to work on a wide range of stage productions including The Liar, Stepping Out, Nana’s Naughty Knickers, There Goes the Bride, Glengarry Glen Ross, Love Virtually, and Les Miserables as well as some independent films such as Soul Mates, A Great Guy, Still Life, Signing Off and Grey Zone. Constantly striving to learn, Krista has studied at The Robyn Kay Studio, The Lighthouse, Rapier Wit and The Second City to name a few.

Again, here is the IndieGoGo campaign link so please help support the Canadian film industry by donating to Krista and her film production. Thank you.   https://bit.ly/2VgcqtW As Eden in Whitehorn's Love Virtually

CELEBRATING AUSTRALIAN FILM AT THE ANNUAL VISION SPLENDID OUTBACK FILM FESTIVAL

As a proud Aussie stuck here in Canada, it’s frustrating not being able to go home, hang out with my family and meet up with friends in the film industry over these past 15 months of Covid travel bans. But I always have my eye on what’s happening in the Down Under film and television industries and unashamedly admit to being obsessed with Indigenous superstar Aaron Pedersen (pictured below, left) whose performance as Det. Jay Swan in the film Goldstone is nothing short of Oscar-worthy! It just so happens Goldstone was filmed in the outback town of Winton, in the state of Queensland, as was his award-winning tv series, Mystery Road, based on his character Jay Swan, first introduced to us back in 2013 in the original film, Mystery Road, written and directed by Ivan Sen.126961990_10164102171740478_5870466753728279799_nWinton is also home to the newly opened Australian Age of Dinosaurs, a massive outdoor exhibition of the bones and fossils of extinct creatures that once roamed the country…imagine Jurassic Park without the scary man-eating beasts! It’s also the birthplace of the world’s leading int’l airline, QANTAS and where the song Waltzing Matilda was first performed some 100 years ago.  But it’s the unique cultural experience of watching movies under the stars – and boy those southern hemisphere starry skies are fantastic – that will be drawing me back home next year  to join film lovers, filmmakers and film media to the VISION SPLENDID OUTBACK FILM FESTIVAL.Royal Theatre Winton Image - Photographer Alan MathiesonThe opening feature film this year (June 25th) is the much-anticipated documentary about Australia’s legendary leading Indigenous actor, David Gulpilil (below – photo by Miles Rowland), who is now battling cancer yet has kept working as much as his health allows. Other films include June Again, starring award-winning actress of screen, tv and stage Noni Hazelhurst, and Rams starring another favourite actor of mine (and great wine maker, too) Sam Neill. The full festival programme, tickets and related events available online at: www.visionsplendidfilmfest.com 

I had the opportunity to chat online with Festival Director, Mark Melrose, who told me all about the Festival’s history, the stars who have attended and all the exciting Festival related activities…and of course, how to get there.

Congratulations on the upcoming Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival – please tell me a little about the genesis or inspiration for the festival, who was Butch Lenton, how long it’s been running and why Winton for a film festival location considering, in colloquial terms, it’s back o’ Burke, beyond the black stump and up Woop-Woop (i.e. the middle of nowhere!)  Vision Splendid was the brainchild of Clive Kitchen, a local businessman. He started discussions in 2013 with the then Mayor of Winton, Butch Lenton, following the success of the film, Mystery Road. In June 2014, the inaugural Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival took place, and it has grown ever since.Winton Royal Open Air Theatre 1 - Photographer Maree AzzopardiLenton was the major driving force behind Winton being what it is today. He had the vision to push for films to be made here on location and the drive to make it happen – sadly he is no longer with us to see how the Festival has grown – it’s a testament to his hard work in creating a film-friendly town that will ultimately create a new industry for Outback Queensland. There are several reasons Winton is the home of the Festival, but mainly it’s due to the fact several feature films and TV series have been shot there in recent times, including The Proposition, Mystery Road, Goldstone and Total Control. Its unique landscapes and vast open spaces cannot be replicated in a studio.

How has COVID-19 impacted the festival and what precautions are you taking to ensure audience safety this year?  Of course, COVID-19 has meant more precautions and risk mitigation elements have come into the festival. The 2020 Festival was postponed, thankfully not cancelled, until September as we found a window to push on with the event. Thankfully we did, as the event resulted in the best of the Festival’s short history with a 36% increase in crowds from 2019. The COVID safety plan included reduced capacities in the theatre and Town Hall, cleaning of the venues between each screening, all tickets being pre-purchased and not available at the door, contact tracing via ticketing and QR codes, and social distancing markers on the ground for queues. These elements will be in place again this year.

Since the Festival’s inception, which attending filmmakers or celebrities have caused major excitement with media and audiences alike?  There have been several filmmakers and celebrities that have caused a ‘stir’ in the media and audiences, including Ivan Sen (director/writer) and actor Aaron Pederson for Goldstone, Michael Caton and Mark Coles Smith for Last Cab to Darwin, Gyton Grantly for Beneath Hill 60, Margaret Pomeranz for David Stratton: A Cinematic Life, Roy Billing as the Festival Patron, Steve Le Marquand for Locusts, and Nicholas Hope for Book Week.last cabDr. Greg Dolgopolov is the Festival Curator and Creative Director and he kindly answered a question for me: How do you choose which films to showcase and what forgotten cinematic treasures to celebrate?   As the Creative Director, I am tasked with selecting and curating around 50 films each year –documentaries, shorts and feature films. These are mainly new films but every year we feature some classics – either silent films that are brought back to life with live musical accompaniment or films celebrating a significant anniversary. The guiding principle for the festival is that the films have to be Australian and sometimes that could include a film that has an Australian involvement, such as a film directed by an Australian but produced elsewhere or a foreign film that stars an Australian actor. Majority of the films are made in Australia and the Festival features a selection of the best available films made recently. The other guiding principle is that the films need to engage a mainstream audience. That means that we are looking for great crowd-pleasing films. I tend to program a few ‘testing’ or art house films as one thing that I have learnt over more than 15 years of curating is that you can never predict what audiences will like and that there are clearly different audiences for different films.

I try to curate in a representative manner capturing different communities and different ideas. The Festival tries to be democratic but not in some crazy quota system but just the best films possible across genres, themes and ideas and I do tend to lean towards outback stories featuring the Australian landscape as part of the drama largely because of where the Festival is located. The origins of the Festival were in presenting Mystery Road in 2013 in the town where most of the filming took place, so the Festival is very connected to the films that have been shot in the Winton area and regional Queensland more broadly. The Festival is intensely committed to drawing new productions to the region and in developing new and emerging filmmakers. Every year about eight new short films are made during the festival by the next generation of filmmakers, and we are confident that when they start helming major productions and need a rugged outback location or a remote rural community, they will come straight to Winton.EZGihnLWkAI4mx6Curating Australian ‘cinematic treasures’ is an art form in itself – sometimes it’s a films’ significant anniversary that justifies its inclusion in the program. Sometimes it because we are featuring a digital remastering of a classic or because one of the Festival guests is bringing their new film and we want to highlight their body of work in the program, so audiences can get a taste for what they have done in the past. Getting a sense that the selection was right by judging the mood in the room is incredibly satisfying as a curator, as well as bringing people together to discuss what they have seen in more robust ways than they would at a standard cinema experience.  That is the great thing about Winton – there is that time and opportunity to have a yarn with others about your experiences and we have a strong group of regulars who are not afraid to voice their opinions and that is just great for the dynamics of having a little festival in the middle of nowhere, but that continuously draws such huge crowds every year.

Back to Mark….The festival also actively involves film students from Griffith University Film School (GUFS) and the University of NSW (UNSW). How do they participate and why do you think it’s important for them to get hands-on experience at the festival level?  Having students involved is immensely important for a number of reasons: they request to travel to Winton for a two-week Outback Filmmaking Bootcamp where they create a short film in two weeks in an extremely remote region. This allows the students to experience the highs and lows of filmmaking – what it means to make a film without all the creature comforts available in the big cities; the highs of creating something seen by an audience in a short period of time; and getting used to working in groups of people across disciplines.  From an economic point-of-view for Winton, there are 60+ future filmmakers in town who now know about the locations and what Winton has to offer and potentially will make a feature film there in the future. The town opens its doors to the students, filming in houses, workplaces and the main streets. They are immersed with Indigenous Culture working closely with the Koa Aboriginal Corporation on the importance of the land and historical significance. The students are also volunteers for the festival and get some experience as to what it takes to put a festival together….and the need of volunteers to make it all happen.film studentsThe town of Winton has been the location of some of the most exciting films and TV shows, including one of my favourite films, Goldstone (directed by Ivan Sen and starring the great Aaron Pedersen) – what does Winton offer incoming productions apart from long days of great natural light and friendly people?  There are exciting things in the pipeline for Winton that, should they fall into place, will offer more incentives to shoot in this unique location. It already has the spectacular outback vistas, the town setting, the friendly people, but in 6 months time, we hope it will have two or three more major developments to bring in more filmmakers and cement the industry here in the Hollywood of the Outback.Winton Sign - Photographer Peter LikHow difficult is it to reach Winton from, say, Sydney or Brisbane? And what sort of guest accommodations can be found for overseas festival visitors?  It’s not that difficult to reach Winton, it just takes time. There is only one flight a day from Brisbane into the town of Longreach and from there Winton is a 2 hour drive (177km). There is a bus that departs Brisbane daily and a train that departs Brisbane for Longreach twice a week.  There are several hotels and motels including the North Gregory Hotel (where Waltzing Matilda was performed in public for the very first time over 100 years ago), and the Outback Motel to name two. There are also four caravan parks if that is how you are traveling.via airhotelGood luck for this year’s Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival – is there anything else you’d like to share with international film fans?   Thank you. We are excited to be able to operate during these bizarre times, however, we do miss our international friends. We can’t wait to open the borders and welcome you back  for (hopefully) next year’s Festival.  If you’re a filmmaker looking for somewhere different to make a film, check out Winton. We don’t call it the Hollywood of the Outback for nothing!Winton Royal Open Air Theatre 2 - Photographer Maree AzzopardiThanks to photographers Alan Mathieson and Maree Azzopardi for the amazing shots of previous Festivals. I’m sending my best wishes to Mark, Greg and all the wonderful volunteers and folks of Winton. I can’t wait until I head Down Under next year. There are so many activities for all the family including a daily kids club, “breakfast with the stars” each morning, local Indigenous storytellers and there are even silent movies being shown, too. Let’s not forget there’s great food and drinks as well as shopping – you gotta take home some great Aussie outback souvenirs!  If you can’t make it to Winton this year, I’ll see you there in June of 2022!Winton

CANADA’S ELDER STATESMAN OF TV & FILM, ART HINDLE, DELIVERS GREAT PERFORMANCES WITH MULTIPLE PROJECTS COMING TO OUR SCREENS NEXT YEAR.

When I first arrived in Canada in 1974, one of the first Canadian films I ever saw was Black Christmas, a slasher/horror picture I was taken to on a first date! There was never a second date for that guy…LOL. It was scary and wild, and was filmed in a house that apparently was not far from where I actually lived in Toronto. But it did feature a very handsome young man for whom I developed a mad crush that has lasted decades – his name is ART HINDLE.art-hindle_min225Throughout the 70’s and 80’s, I would see Art appearing on the some of the most popular tv series of all time such as Dallas (he had a nice multi-episode story arc), Baretta, Barnaby Jones, Cannon, Starsky & Hutch, McGyver, Murder She Wrote, even Law & Order which was just starting off. Then came E.N.G. in 1989 which ran until ’94 – by then Art had become a major heart-throb with a resume that included feature films as well as TV. Over the past several years, I’ve run into Art many times at the Toronto Int’l Film Fest (TIFF) or ACTRA soirees, even photographing him and his beautiful wife, Brooke, on red carpets and at industry schmooze fests.Art & Brook20150915_1912091-300x251I recently caught up with the Canadian film & TV icon and asked him to share his thoughts on an actor’s life in the time of Covid, his long & successful career, and advice for those wanting to craft a career as impressive as his…..

As a working actor, how are you coping with Covid and the restrictions governing film or TV productions?   I’m using the lockdown as an opportunity to catch up on my reading…including some scripts that have been piling up. I’m also keeping my “instrument” tuned with some online ZOOM acting workshops – a group of us do scenes, usually 2-handers or monologues, every Monday evening. And I’m also Facetiming with all 8 of our children & grandchildren which takes up a lot of our time. I’ve managed to work on a couple of films & a TV series which has been very tricky for this old dog! Yes, I’ve had to learn a few new tricks – it’s a challenge to concentrate on the acting & practice both social distancing & masks on/masks off protocols.  The TV series involved travelling to Newfoundland and that was stressful, both flying and totally isolating in the hotel for days at a time!

Did you have any projects cancelled due to the pandemic? I know you have several projects completed or in post-production – do you foresee 2021 as being the year of Art Hindle with everything that was postponed this year coming to the screen all at once?  Yes, I have a couple of TV movies, a feature film in Montreal and the 2nd season of a TV series coming up. Hopefully the new year will bring the Industry back to normal (although, sadly, I doubt it) but we will all have to do our part, unlike what’s been going on in the general population this year!The Brood 1979Going back to the beginning, you were part of the 1974 iconic Canadian horror film, Black Christmas, one of the first big slasher movies to thrill audiences. What memories do you have of that experience and did you think it would become such a cult hit?  To be honest, it was just another job for this actor with 4 children who desperately needed work all the time which, in Toronto & Canada in the early 70’s, was little to none. In fact, while working with Margot Kidder she found out how little work there was here and told me if I moved to LA I would work all the time. It was then that I decided to do something I had been resisting so for the next few months I gathered as much cash as I could (i.e. selling my vintage Porsche), driving a cab 24/7 and even doing some modelling which I had done when I was starting out in ’68, then in November ’74, my girlfriend & I drove to LA in a delivery car. As for your question about a “cult hit” or cult film, I don’t think the term had been invented at that time, and besides, no one makes a movie thinking it’s a cult film – every day you’re just trying to complete it before they take your money away!Black Xmas Black ChristmasThroughout the 70’s and 80’s, you guest starred on so many big tv series including Cannon, Law & Order, Barretta, Barnaby Jones, Dallas, MacGyver (the original), Murder She Wrote (twice), and LA Law to name just a few before scoring your own tv series here in Canada, E.N.G. – what did you learn from these experiences working with legends like Buddy Ebsen, Robert Blake and Angela Lansbury?  I guess I first learned how to make people happy working on a series – unhappy actors & crews rarely make successful series. I also learned confidence, realizing I was at least as good as most of them; it was refreshing, as well, to be respected – actors rarely were in Canada.  I also worked with some great directors and almost from the beginning that was something that I wanted to do. So it was like being at school; in fact, when I was doing a series called Kingston Confidential at Universal Studios I nicknamed it “University Studios”.  I would poke my head into the various departments – editing, casting, set design, etc. – and asked questions. It paid off when we did E.N.G. (below) – I made sure the cast & crew were very happy & I got a chance to direct some of the episodes.20201223_194527 (2)E.N.G. lasted from 1989 to 1994 and established you as a leading man and you then went on to do other multiple season series such as North of 60, Tom Stone, Paradise Falls and Dot. – did you enjoy the steady long-term work or were you itching to tackle more film roles?  Actually, in between roles on TV I was always working in film. I seemed to gravitate to low budget projects; I did so many, some people pegged me King of the Indies…I didn’t mind. I like to work hard and fast… something you have to do on low budget projects, but if you pull something good off, it’s very satisfying!Return to ParadiseIn recent years, you’ve appeared in popular series such as The Good Witch (a personal favourite of mine) and other more gentle (non horror/slasher…LOL) TV movies – what sort of characters do you look for as far as new challenges or is it strictly based on quality of script?   To tell you the truth, I’ve never been a fan of the horror genre. I never go to the theatre for that and I’ve reached the point in my career…well let’s put it this way, the 4 stages of an actor’s career are: Who’s Art Hindle?  Get me Art Hindle!! Get me a younger Art Hindle!  and finally: Who’s Art Hindle??  Most of the casting directors who knew me, liked me and called me are now retired or dead. A few are still around and a couple of the young ones think I’m swell (!) …so at my age you take what you’re offered and I get offered enough that I can turn down projects I’m not interested in. Like a film I recently did called Robbery (I’m very proud of this one and it’s streaming everywhere!)  I look for stories that connect the young with the old and where, by the end, both have learned something and it’s changed them. 2018Your son, Zeke, was a child actor when you lived in L.A. and he’s now become a successful director & producer – I can only assume you are a real proud poppa.  Did you ever try to deter him from a not-so-secure life in showbiz?  I never ever pushed him in that direction. As a child he only did a couple of things so when he suddenly leapt into the abyss of acting, I had mixed emotions. But he seems to have inherited my gene of working hard and playing hard and caring deeply about the work and the people you’re with. I have to say, Zeke (pictured below) is much more the renaissance man than I was or could ever hope to be! He writes, produces, sometimes directs and stars in everything he shoots – I never had that much drive. He’s also studying on the side to get a Law Degree! What an amazing man…Zeke (2)Moving forward, do you and your wife, Brooke, plan any special getaways in 2021 to make-up for Covid’s travel ban this year, or do you have projects that will keep you close to home in Toronto?  We have a new grandchild with our son who is a professional polo player living in Florida, so when the coast is clear, that will be our 1st destination. Also, we will head to Southern California to visit with Zeke & his beautiful wife and a daughter and her wonderful family. Other than that, we rarely travel – we have a great home with a forest attached…a bit of Paradise., in fact.

Any advice for young actors looking to carve out a long-term career such as yours?  Well, I guess I’d tell them it’s a marathon not a sprint. In fact, about a year after Zeke declared he was in da Biz, he had flown me down to LA to be in his first feature film, (Happenstance, streaming everywhere) playing his character in the future. He told me he was worried that he wasn’t getting anywhere; I thought he was stacking his career up against mine so I told him that after a year or two in the business, I had done a couple of commercials and no one was close to calling me an actor or beating down my door. If you look at my IMDb page, you’ll see only about 6 credits in the first 6 years, then maybe more than double that in the next 6.  Finally, I’d tell actors starting out, do as much acting as you can – short films, workshops, readings with other actors like you…I’m not a big fan of expensive headshots (spend $200 max) or expensive acting schools – there are some good books on acting, probably at the library. If you get the chance to be on a set, do it…learn to be observant and learn to listen…listening is the key to acting, in my humble opinion.  And as my wife Brooke advises, do some background/extra work to get used to on-set etiquette and experience the stresses of making movies.1131060ef6438cf3de64b6e968bc72e7--canada-eh-ageless-beautyThank you for those insights, Art.  I know there are lots of young actors who admire you and your work out there feeling a little lost right now so hopefully your advice and assurances will stand them in good stead.  Check out Art’s IMDb page for a full list of his work and if you see any of his films on your tv listings, check ’em out and see what a terrific actor we can claim as our own!696934328420

THE FLOOD – Australian feature film launches to outstanding reviews, festival awards & audience applause

What an exciting past month and a half it has been for writer/director VICTORIA WHARFE McINTYRE and her cast and team at Wagtail Films.

Down Under has been fortunate to come out from under Covid-19 quarantine & lock-down and Aussies are now able to attend cinema screenings and awards shows. Parts of New South Wales, around Sydney, have had a slight resurgence but the good old digger spirit has kept everyone complying with self-isolation and the virus seems contained – for now. Victoria, her fellow producer Amadeo Marquez-Perez and several cast members have been attending special screenings in key markets across multiple States, presenting post-screening Q&A panels, answering audience questions and chatting with media. THE FLOOD also won Best Australian Film as well as Best Director (for Victoria) and Best Lead Actress (Alexis Lane) at the Sydney Women’s Int’l Film Festival (see below)127534267_388815942561120_4636346088338239138_o128064618_388815692561145_6503339943587915807_o 126527186_388815869227794_5518471104302822974_oAnd at the prestigious AACTA Awards in late November, Aaron Jeffery was nominated for Best Supporting Actor (for playing Wm. “Minto” Minton) shown here with Victoria.128205268_390952799014101_8314221819762701337_nThe latest high-profile kudos come from David Stratton, columnist for The Australian newspaper, who listed The Flood as one of the best films of 2020:StrattonWhat a great way to end this bastard of a year! Bravo to Victoria, her production team and brilliant, talented cast!!   I asked Victoria and some of the cast members to share their experiences and thoughts about working on THE FLOOD now that the public and media have spoken…..
Victoria, congratulations on the success of the special screenings and Q&A panels with yourself and the cast. What has been the audience reaction/feedback to the film so far?
Thanks – it’s been overwhelmingly positive, which is fantastic considering how full on and in your face some scenes in the film are – people say it’s bold and epic and they’ve never seen a film like it and most commonly, people want to watch it again.SWIFF panelTHE FLOOD is a film that stands up to repeat viewing – there is so much going on and so many shocking moments that the subplots and subtleties are easily overlooked in the first viewing, especially the gentle spirituality of the First Nation people and country as witness to humanity. Watch it again from that perspective and you see a very different film again.   It is multilayered in every way – each shot jam packed with visual and aural information and it is just gorgeous to look at.

It appears that your cast is really invested emotionally in your film – how has this helped shaped the promotional campaign with post-screening Q&A panels, festivals & awards events, and their online (social media) support?
We spent 2 months in a heightened spirit and natured-filled ‘hot house’ together, going into the darkness and the light, traversing our nation’s history and the deeply personal aspects of human experience. We forged bonds in fire, through enormous challenges and are wedded with the time spent with our First Nation people through daily ceremony, artistic creation and loving friendship.cast and crew 130256849_786172415272497_146459325288775464_o 132118349_10158988768527673_2785055598753939783_oWe all believe that the story we’ve told forms part of our nation’s healing and move towards true reconciliation with our First Nation peoples. We are united in our sense of the importance of that, and our cast are brilliantly doing all they can to share our message of truth-telling that leads to redemption and reconciliation and that is universal both socially and personally.

The Flood is now being released to the public in theatres across the country, just in time for Christmas – how has FanForceTV, NAIDOC and Madman Films supported the film during the time of Covid and into 2021?
It has been a very trying time to bring your first feature into the world, and easy to get into impatience and longing for the old cinema going days. But we’ve had great support and now we’re getting some great reviews, sold out sessions and lots of cinema bookings which has been a pretty good end to an annus horribilis for the arts community – although the beauty, strength and character of artists all around the world has shone through the digital realm and touched a lot of people. THE FLOOD has always made its own way in the world – so I trust in the process.SWIFFWhat is your next project…or are you just taking a good long holiday from work until you start thinking of the next production?  Ha! This year has been a holiday away from production so I’m looking forward to getting back in the saddle in 2021. Got a few projects on the go – have a science fiction film in the works with the ultimate message of don’t destroy the Earth – there is no other planet ‘B’, and a film with a dog…will have to see what takes off.

I also posed a few questions to cast members who were kind enough to share their experiences on-set and their future projects:

Shaka, how has this leading role of Waru impacted your career to date, and as you head off to the stage musical “Hamilton”, are you looking forward to the rehearsal process and nightly performances in front of live audiences?
The leading role in THE FLOOD has had a massive impact on my career. It’s given me the chance and experience to be on set almost every day, which gave me the opportunity to learn my craft and have a better understanding of acting for film and tv.  It’s also put me up front for publicity experiences such as radio, tv interviews and public speaking. I’ve become more comfortable in all aspects of the acting industry.
THE FLOOD has only just been released and people are only just seeing it, so the impact it has had on my career when it comes to future work has not yet arrived but I have no doubt it will create many more opportunities in film and tv. To play a strong, beautiful and heroic Indigenous character is something I’m very proud of and grateful to have had the responsibility to portray.eVvxEMXwI’m definitely looking forward to rehearsals for HAMILTON and being surrounded by talent and incredible artists, and then performing with them to the world. HAMILTON is more than just a musical – it is another life changing experience. I’m very proud to be a part of THE FLOOD and HAMILTON which are two very different and powerful life changing experiences

Alexis, you took on the role of the tough, take-no prisoners Jarah – do you see yourself as an action heroine or are you now looking to take on a less exhausting or a more romantic character in your next film?  I had a phenomenal time working on this action-packed, truth revealing film. Victoria is an incredibly giving director, allowing me to constantly grow and explore the depths of Jarah throughout filming. Finding Jarah’s natural resolve which then becomes her weakness…   Jarah is unable to let go and grow in forgiveness. Her journey then circles back around and her determination becomes an asset to her character once again. Just like my favourite line in the film from Waru “you’ll grow and change and when you prove yourself you will be forgiven”.ubGuPazE (3)It is still a rare opportunity in this industry to find a female lead that is a strong force yet a very human woman, and I’d be happy to continue down this path if it means showcasing women are more than just love interests or damsels.

Dean, you played not one but two roles in THE FLOOD – one a nasty cruel guy and the other, his brother, a much nicer character – do you find portraying “bad guys” more interesting or challenging than playing the good guy?
Playing the guy with bad behaviour can be very emotionally challenging, because his behaviour is so far removed from my core values/self, but at the same time that makes him very interesting in terms of being challenged as an actor.
The “good” twin has core values closer to mine but he also has traits very far removed from me, his inability to follow through with his resistance to the children being taken and being passive and weak enough to have a man take his eye out. If someone tried that on me they’d have a fight in their hands I tell ya, ha ha!!
Saying that, playing Paddy was also triggering for me because as a skinny teen I was incredibly shy and passive and somewhat of a coward, and to sit in that after outgrowing it, with attaining confidence over the years, felt like living through flashbacks in a way.
So my long winded answer (ha ha) is that they are equally interesting, but the twin with “bad” behaviours, the homicidal, racist, barbaric thing in ‘Shamus’ makes it more challenging to be in his shoes. Dean Kyrwood is pictured below (R) with Brendan Bacon (L)Brendan and DeanBrendan, you’re playing one of the most heinous evil bastards in The Flood yet I hear you’re a very sweet, kind man – as an actor, where do you find such intensity (and nastiness!) for your characterization of Tick?
The most heinous evil bastard in THE FLOOD….why thank you for your kind words ha ha! Finding intensity and nastiness in a character like ‘Tick’ doesn’t come easy but lucky for me I have over the last 20 yrs of my career played nothing but characters of the same realm.
But ‘Tick’ is by far one of the nastiest I’ve played and I thank Victoria for giving me the opportunity. I grew up in a very small region of north Victoria where, unfortunately, the racism towards native Australians was very much within the community, so given that, I was able to tap into some of what I knew and heard growing up. Also, to when looking at the rest of the gang within the film you see I’m working with some pretty big guys (Dean, Socs and Eddie) so given that I’m the smallest in the group it gave me more of a view to make the tiny bad guy seem the worst.
Also, when reading the script for the first time and working on the character’s name ‘Tick’ I looked at using that as giving him ‘Tourette’s’ and knowing that back in the 1940’s it would have been something that wasn’t known by many, and given that it would be something that most people back then would find quite scary, so that, too, also gave the character some more depth.
Even though ‘Tick’ was a nasty guy, it still took a lot to channel but knowing I had Victoria’s backing with taking him as far into the darkness that I could, he was still a very broken little man and one of the characters that will stay with me for a long time!

Aaron, you’ve enjoyed audience popularity on both the big and small screens – do you prefer the challenge of period dramas (The Flood), romance (McLeod’s Daughters) or comedies (Palm Beach), and why? 
I’m always most attracted to stories with meaning and heart and characters with depth. THE FLOOD speaks of reconciliation and redemption and elevating First Nation people through an action-packed thrill ride that entertains while it tackles a bunch of social issues. It treats the audience with a lot of respect for their intelligence and I love being a part of telling stories that.Aaron Jeffery2

The audiences have had such positive reactions and many shared their thoughts and opinions as they exited the cinemas: 
“Best Australian movie I have seen in a long while I am still getting over how emotional it was. It definitely compelling and am finally glad some of the truth telling of our Aboriginal peoples is out there! We just need to get that treaty happening and acknowledge the Statement from the Heart with Integrity compassion and justice !”

“Definitely need to see this movie again…after absorbing the brutal action…ready to follow the softer spiritual depth of this unique film.”

“Highly recommended – watching this movie felt so many emotions very thought provoking”
“The team from The Flood. An Australian story rarely told. Brilliant cast, amazing bushland setting, and great creative cinematic story telling.”
“Congratulations on an amazing, thought-provoking, beautifully brutal masterpiece!”
“It was amazing. So beautifully shot, creative, confronting, sad, but a comforting end. Will watch again!”
“WOW!!!! We loved the film….photography was amazing, great acting, great everything!!!!!”
THE FLOOD is now being released in cinemas to the general public and should hit North America (US and Canada) sometime early 2021, either in cinemas (Covid permitting) or via online streaming platforms. I highly recommend the film to learn about Australia’s recent history…but I might be slightly biased – I grew up in Australia and cannot wait to get home to celebrate with my Flood friends!
poster for social media

Big thanks to FanForceTV, Madman Films, NAIDOC and everyone at Wagtail Films for allowing me access to THE FLOOD.

https://www.facebook.com/thefloodfilm2020

AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK ACTION THRILLER IS OUTSTANDING FEATURE FILM DEBUT FOR WRITER/DIRECTOR VICTORIA WHARFE MCINTYRE

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself sitting in the dark in the wee small hours watching a brand new action film from my home Down Under that had me riveted. Courtesy of Madman Entertainment and FanForce TV, the film, THE FLOOD, is based on past atrocities against Australia’s indigenous people, in this case during the post-WWII years when white government and “land-owners” refused equal rights to the Aboriginal communities and inflicted unimaginable cruelty and pain, especially on women and children. This online screening was one of the keystone events of this year’s NAIDOC Week. NAIDOC is the acronym for Australia’s National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee and the annual NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.Victoria (2)Director (and writer/producer) Victoria Wharfe McIntyre (pictured above) brought together an amazing cast, most of whom are unknown to North American audiences but after this film, that should change completely. The film stars Alexis Lane, Shaka Cook (who will be seen next year in Australia in the hit musical Hamilton), Dean Kyrwood, Dalara Williams and Aaron Jeffery, who is nominated for Best Supporting Actor in the 2020 AACTA Awards for his work on the film.
I was particularly struck by the intensity of lead actor Shaka Cook (pictured below) who plays Waru, an indigenous returned  WWII serviceman whose courage under fire saved white Australian lives but upon his return home, finds his family had been taken away and he is not only shunned but brutalized by those who should be grateful for his heroism.eVvxEMXwXkeMYq2QHis wife, Jarah, is played with such intensity and determination by Alexis Lane (pictured below), she reminded me of an Aussie “Wonder Woman”! Jarah is a full-on avenging angel as she tries to reunite her husband and daughter, and take revenge upon those who inflicted humiliation and pain on them all.ubGuPazE (3)In flashbacks, we see Jarah grow from a sweet child to a strong, independent woman who ferociously takes on corruption and bigotry, one bad guy at a time. With a nod to Butch & Sundance and Bonnie & Clyde, Waru and Jarah are pushed to the limit and explode in a fury of bullet-riddled retribution.rFRpE11g (3)FFpvn79g (2) There are lots of twists and turns throughout their journey to freedom, and the supporting cast is extraordinary.  To me, this story is truly of outback opera dimensions. It’s big, action-packed and shot in luscious landscapes (Kangaroo Valley, NSW) and it’s been called “an explosive blend of Tarantino and The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith”.  Congratulations to Victoria and fellow producer Amadeo Marquez Perez with whom I recently chatted from their home base in Australia…..

Victoria, as writer as well as director, what inspired the story…was it based on historic fact or other source material?  I have an affinity with the WWII period and life in Australia at that time, it still feels very under-represented in our stories for such an impactful time on our home soil. Having made a short film, MIRO, that looks at a First Nation soldier’s experience on returning home from war and seeing the response to the tone, style and content of that film I was inspired to tell a woman of colour’s story from that same era.
THE FLOOD is a fictionalized account of many truths from our history woven and funneled into one family’s experience. It is a revisionist western allowing for women of colour, First Nations and the down trodden to come out on top, to be the heroes on screen, for the story to travel through them.oz4BGlRgHow important is it to tell such stories, regardless of the pain and anger they elicit from both sides of the conversation?  Social justice and reconciliation through thrilling entertainment is at the heart of our story telling. Only by facing the truth as individuals and collectively can we move forward together as one.  Truth is often hidden because it is painful, examining the past can bring great sorrow and anger and trigger passion of all kinds but like a festering wound it must be cleaned and telling the truth is the greatest healer – only by standing together and facing it, allowing it, can we bridge the distance between us as a community.912S431AThe Flood does not shy away from the brutality and senseless killings of the Aboriginal characters just as their ancestors would have experienced – how important was it to show the entirety of each deadly scene, albeit shot in a stylized manner?  Australia actively expunged records of Aboriginal people’s very existence from the time of colonization and that practice is rooted deep in our nation’s psyche. How can we expect people to understand our history and its lingering effects on our society unless we look honestly at that history? Very often we hear “they should just get over it…it’s in the past…I didn’t do it…” etc. THE FLOOD is a roller-coaster ride and when you hit a trough you find yourself deep in it with our First Nation/Woman of Colour characters – there is no escape – you’re strapped in for the ride!TmBshkzg (2)How has the film/tv industry helped bring to light past colonial transgressions and the indescribably cruel treatment of indigenous Australians? Has putting history on the screen opened more discussion and understanding between black and white Australians – has the cultural divide become more apparent?  There has never been greater understanding and acknowledgement of First Nation’s peoples than right now in Australia. Yes, film/tv has totally led that charge. Through entertainment, we can enlighten and share experience and understanding – humans are creatures of story – it is how we learn and grow and is our greatest asset in finding ways of connection, forgiveness and peace with each other.OM3yu1hQVictoria, I understand you’ve worked with 2 of my favourite Aussie actors – Jack Thompson (pictured below) & Sigrid Thornton. Can you tell me about your short film The Telegram Man which has brought you such incredible acclaim (it’s part of Oscars’ permanent collection and even screened at Gallipoli)?  THE TELEGRAM MAN is also a WWII story told on Australian soil. It’s about the man who must deliver the worst kind of news. A man who goes from being a welcome sight, delivering news about babies and weddings, to being shunned as the harbinger of death.  We don’t often think of those people in our war time stories, how the tentacles of war reach into tiny communities on the other side of the world far from the fight. Jack plays the telegram man who must deliver news to parents played by Sigrid Thornton and Gary Sweet. He brings such pathos to the role and we are left with the futility of fighting and the need to evolve beyond it.Jack TThe casting in THE FLOOD was superb – your leading lady, Alexis Lane, was one bad-ass revenge machine! Did she know what she was in for when accepting the role of Jarah?  Well…we did let her read the script…lol.  Alexis is phenomenal and this film will launch her career so sit up and take notice world – this woman is incredible! Alexis moves between elation and despair, pain and pleasure, revenge and redemption like a scythe through spring grass – it’s one hell of a ride.Jarah & ShamusLeading man Shaka Cook was brilliant, giving such a nuanced performance with so much going on behind his eyes which was just as exciting to watch as all his shoot ‘em up action. Did you know him or did you discover him during auditions?  I trawl around the internet looking at actors and came across an interview with Shaka. He was talking about the Polly Farmer Foundation [for you non-Aussies, Polly Farmer was a famous Indigenous football player from my own childhood years – Fordham PR] and how grateful he was for the support that enabled him to attend the National Institute for Dramatic Art (NIDA). He spoke so beautifully and had such humility and genuine warmth that I knew he was the right actor to play Waru. He still had to audition and that was a bit of a process but we always wanted him.Shaka Cook_WaruYou captured so many great performances from all the bad guys (and there were so many villains in this film) – any in particular stand out for you as director/producer?  Well, there are three lead roles in THE FLOOD, Jarah, Waru and Shamus. Dean Kyrwood delivers an incredibly powerful performance as the brutal, vengeful Shamus (and his twin brother the cowardly Paddy Mackay.) Dean had to traverse deep darkness but also take us through to the prospect of hope, love and light. It is a lot to pack into two hours!  His right-hand man, Miller, is played by Socratis Otto and if you look carefully (perhaps on a second viewing) you will see the signs of Miller’s unrequited love for Shamus that also plays into the twisted nature of their dark and dangerous characters.6MzEkGYA T4MG4nsA youCgKcwWith such sadness and violence in THE FLOOD, how did the cast and crew seek release at the end of each shooting day?  There is also a lot of fun stuff in the film – horse riding – Mad Max-style car rides – shoot outs…so it wasn’t too traumatic that often.  It was the massacre and rape scenes that were the hardest days on set. Fortunately, we had our First Nation creative producers with us each day and they performed ceremony and worked with everyone so that what we played out formed part of a collective historical cleansing of country and people. We had profound experiences together that have bonded our cast and crew in a way I’ve never seen before.  And The Friendly Inn (pub) was also quite popular !7RT41RRAAmadeo, I know I’ve asked you this question at the recent post-screening Q&A panel (and it seemed to give you all a big laugh!) but how difficult was it to secure funding for your film? Is there a substantial government grant system in Australia, or do indie filmmakers rely mostly on angel backers, family or Go-Fund-Me online campaigns to get cameras rolling?  THE FLOOD was financed with the generous support of investors who are passionate about great stories and the messages in the beautiful film. Not being successful with government grants/funding, except for the Producer’s Offset, we decided to moved forward and get this film made. From the very beginning, THE FLOOD had its own energy and we had to trust that things would work out and the right people will be attached.  As producers, you are always trying to get financing for films but with THE FLOOD, we had a fantastic script and a unique story that people were drawn to. Victoria’s track record as a Writer/Director made pitching for support easier. Great stories almost fund themselves. xELAia5EAny news on when/if THE FLOOD will be released in Canada & the US? During this Covid crisis, might it go straight to a major streaming outlet such as Amazon Prime, Netflix, AcornTV or others?  We are planning a 2021 release for Canada and US – every creative decision was made for the big screen, so the dream is always to have a cinema run, it is a gigantic, sweeping, epic of a film visually and aurally – see it in the cinema if you can.  Streamers will undoubtably form the major part of our release with Covid being such an influence across the planet for the next couple of years. We start screening the film in cinemas across Australia starting December 9th. See the confirmed dates/cities for screenings in Australia at end of interview.armi & Vic (3)And for news updates on the film, festivals and awards, Victoria & Amadeo (pictured above on a recent red carpet) and the actors as well as your production company, can you please share your social media links or website?  We have 2 social media outlets – our Twitter handle is @wagtailfilms and our Facebook page is linked here:  https://www.facebook.com/The-Flood-Wagtail-Films-113511496758234   1lamolbEThe following screenings of THE FLOOD are confirmed, with others to be added in the coming days. Each screening will feature a Q&A with filmmakers and/or cast:

Wednesday 9/12 – Sydney – Palace Cinemas Central – Q&A with actors Alexis Lane and Shaka Cook, writer/director Victoria Wharfe McIntyre and producer Amadeo Marquez-Perez

Wednesday 9/12 – Perth – Palace Cinemas Raine Square – Q&A details tbc

Thursday 10/12 – Sydney– Hoyts Cinema Warringah – Q&A details tbc

Thursday 10/12 – Canberra – Dendy Canberra – Q&A details tbc

Thursday 10/12 – Newcastle – Event Cinema Kotara – Q&A with actors Shaka Cook and Dean Kyrwood and producer Amadeo Marquez-Perez

Thursday 10/12 – Bowral – Empire Cinema – Q&A with writer/director Victoria Wharfe McIntyre and Yuin Nation creative producer and cultural consultant on set Paul Mcleod

Friday 11/12 – Nowra – Roxy Cinema – Q&A with writer/director Victoria Wharfe McIntyre, producer Amadeo Marquez-Perez and Yuin Nation creative producer and cultural consultant on set Paul Mcleod

Friday 11/12 – Mildura – Wallis Mildura – Film introduced by actor Brendan Bacon

Friday 11/12 – The Entrance – Majestic Cinema – Film introduced by actor Karen Garnsey

Friday 11/12 – Karratha (WA) – Red Earth Arts – Q&A details tbc

Wednesday 17/12 – Brisbane – Palace Barracks – Q&A details tbc

The film will release on disc and digital platforms on January 6, 2021.

OF NOTE: Filmed in Victoria’s hometown of Kangaroo Valley, in what she describes as a “wonderful creative collaboration with the local Yuin Nation community, utilizing our land and that of friends and neighbours”, The Flood has poignantly become a visual archive of the Valley’s pristine subtropical rainforests and unique bushland which were destroyed by the 2020 firestorm that devastated the east coast of Australia. [quote courtesy of FilmInk.com.au]