Through Black Spruce(film)
Through Black Spruce | |
---|---|
![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Don McKellar |
Written by | Barbara Samuels |
Produced by |
|
Starring | |
Cinematography | Douglas Koch |
Edited by | Lindsay Allikas |
Music by | Alaska B |
Production company | Serendipity Point Films |
Distributed by | Gravitas Ventures[1] |
Release date |
|
Running time | 111 minutes |
Country | Canada |
Languages | English, Cree |
Through Black Spruceis a 2018 Canadian drama film, directed byDon McKellar.[2]An adaptation ofJoseph Boyden's novelThrough Black Spruce,the film starsBrandon Oakes,Tantoo Cardinal,Graham Greene,Tanaya Beatty,Parveen KaurandRoseanne Supernault.[3] The film was shot primarily inMoosonee,Ontario.[4]
Plot
[edit]Annie Bird, aCreewoman from Moosonee, is the identical twin of Suzanne Bird, a model who had last been seen in Toronto before disappearing with her abusive boyfriend Gus. While living with her mother Lizette, Annie is close to her uncle Will, a hunter and formerbush pilot.At the invitation of a friend, Annie travels to Toronto for a vacation, but stays behind to look for her sister. When Annie leaves for their vacation, a local Moosonee drug dealer named Marius takes this as an indication that one of her family members anticipates a need to go into hiding. Marius accuses Will of being asnitchand hires associates to have him followed.
In Toronto, Annie contacts Suzanne's modelling agency and collects the last paycheque that she was owed. The agency refers her to Jesse, the last photographer to undertake a project with Suzanne. The two meet while Jesse is debuting the resulting photo series at a local gallery. After describing the depression Suzanne was in, Jesse gives Annie the address where she last stayed. There, Annie meets Geeta, who is the other tenant. Geeta welcomes Annie and describes the shock of receiving the missing person's report for her roommate. Taking her to Suzanne's former room, Geeta encourages Annie to stay there for as long as necessary.
Meanwhile, Marius escalates his threats against Will's family and attempts to firebomb his house at night. The police chief dismisses Will's report due to his alcoholism and inability to provide a license plate number. Taking matters into his own hands, Will later aims a rifle at Marius from afar and fires a bullet into his head. Will escapes by plane to a remote island, and encounters a group of fellow Cree travelers after setting up a campsite. After being convinced that he cannot hide forever, Will returns to Moosonee. His sister Lizette tells him that Marius survived the shot to the head, albeit with brain damage. The police chief comes to speak with Will, and initially announces that the attempted murder is being ruled as a "biker hit". However, before driving off, he tells Will to have better aim next time.
Meanwhile, in Toronto, Annie begins a relationship with Jesse and offers to take Suzanne's place in an upcoming photo shoot. At a club that Suzanne used to frequent, Geeta introduces Annie to an acquaintance named Danny. Jesse warns her that Danny is a drug dealer, but Geeta continues to include him in their circle of friends. Annie looks at some of Suzanne's production stills and sees that signs of drug use have beenphotoshoppedaway. She berates Jesse for his dishonesty and prepares to leave Toronto. While she is telling Geeta, Danny corners the two of them and reveals that he has killed Gus in an effort to reclaim stolen drugs. While choking Annie, he accuses her of conspiring with her sister to keep the stash hidden.
Danny then comes to Moosonee in order to continue searching for Suzanne. He throws boiling water at Lizette and beats Will with a golf club. Before he can deliver the killing blow, Annie arrives with Will's rifle. She kills Marius and Danny in time to help carry her uncle to the hospital.
Cast
[edit]- Tanaya Beattyas Annie Bird[3]
- Brandon Oakesas Will[3]
- Kiowa Gordon as Jesse[3]
- Tantoo Cardinalas Mary-Lou[3]
- Graham Greeneas Leo[3]
- Wesley French as Marius[3]
- Parveen Kauras Geeta[3]
- Lily Gao as Lauren[3]
- Roseanne Supernaultas Eva[3]
- Don McKellar as NOW reporter
Release
[edit]Through Black Sprucepremiered at the2018 Toronto International Film Festival.[5]
The film received twoCanadian Screen Awardnominations at the7th Canadian Screen Awardsin 2019, forBest Actor(Oakes) andBest Original Score(Alaska B).[6]Alaska B won the award for Best Original Score.[7]CinematographerDouglas Kochalso received a nomination for theCanadian Society of CinematographersAward for Theatrical Feature Cinematography.[8]
In the United States, the film was released onDVD[9]andBlu-rayasBlack Spruce[1]on December 17, 2019.[10]
Reception
[edit]On review aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes,the film holds a 40% approval rating based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 4.7/10.[11]Norman Wilner ofNow Torontocalled the film "bland and uninvolving".[12]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ab"Black Spruce (Blu-ray)".Oldies.RetrievedJune 29,2021.
- ^Hertz, Barry (July 24, 2018)."Boyden adaptationThrough Black Spruceselected by TIFF, reigniting debate over authorship ".The Globe and Mail.RetrievedJune 29,2021.
- ^abcdefghij"Through Black Spruce Cast".baiscopelink.September 8, 2018.RetrievedJune 29,2021.[dead link]
- ^Jordan Pinto (August 25, 2017)."Production begins onThrough Black Spruce".Playback.RetrievedJune 29,2021.
- ^Hertz, Barry (July 24, 2018)."Lady Gaga, Julia Roberts, and Hugh Jackman lead TIFF's 2018 lineup".The Globe and Mail.RetrievedJune 29,2021.
- ^"Canadian Screen Awards 2019: English-Canadian films shut out of best picture category".Now.February 7, 2019.RetrievedJune 29,2021.
- ^"Les Québécois remportent plus de la moitié des trophées à l'avant-gala des prix Écrans canadiens"[Quebeckers bring home over half the trophies at the Canadian Screen Awards pre-gala] (in French).Ici Radio-Canada.March 31, 2019.RetrievedJune 29,2021.
- ^"The 63rd Annual Csc Award Nominees"(PDF).Canadian Society of Cinematographers.RetrievedJune 29,2021.
- ^"Black Spruce".Oldies.RetrievedJune 29,2021.
- ^"Black Spruce".High Def Digest.RetrievedJune 29,2021.
- ^"Through Black Spruce".Rotten Tomatoes.Fandango.RetrievedOctober 10,2021.
- ^Wilner, Norman (March 26, 2019)."Review: Don McKellars Through Black Spruce is bland and uninvolving".Now.RetrievedJune 29,2021.
External links
[edit]- 2018 films
- Canadian drama films
- Cree-language films
- Films shot in Ontario
- Films directed by Don McKellar
- Films based on Canadian novels
- First Nations films
- Films set in Northern Ontario
- Films set in Toronto
- 2010s English-language films
- 2010s Canadian films
- Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement