Mar 29, 2024
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Director of indie Canadian film ‘Algonquin’ has Cobourg connections

A love of films and their ability to tell stories in powerful ways is what initially drew Jonathan Hayes to filmmaking.

While the former Cobourg resident now lives in Toronto where he runs Berkeley Films Ltd., an independent film production company which produces both dramatic and documentary films, he has fond memories of his youth while living behind the Marie Dressler House and attending Cobourg District Collegiate Institute West.

“I grew up behind Marie Dressler House and that in and of itself isn’t a small thing,” he said. “The idea that someone who came from Cobourg went on to make films certainly had an impact.”

After high school he moved to Montreal to study at McGill University, before moving to California for several years and ultimately moving back to Toronto to work as a filmmaker.

“I love films, think it’s a really powerful way of telling stories and it brought together a whole range of my interests,” he said.

Asked about his latest film, ‘Algonquin,’ which he wrote and directed, Mr. Hayes said it’s the story of a father and son which uses Algonquin Park as a backdrop, exploring a complicated family dynamic.

“There has been a broad cross-section of interest in this film because it’s a multi-generational and layered story,” he said. “I find there are people who gravitate to it from both the son’s perspective and the father’s perspective.”

The film stars Mark Rendall as Jake, Nicholas Campbell as Leif and Sheila McCarthy as Rita.

He said everyone could relate to two ways of looking at a single relationship that the film features.

“I think it began with the character of the father, Leif, who I imagined as this sort of over-the-top lovable rogue, and the shadow he would cast on this son who is finding his way,” said Mr. Hayes. “He was doing that largely in the father’s absence, who was this one time successful travel writer and whose success came at the cost of being largely absent from his son’s life.”

He said that interesting relationship had some huge potential for drama, conflict and “all the good stuff.”

Jake, an unhappy school teacher, has his life upended when his shifty, rogue of a father, Leif — an absentee parent and a man whose best days as a travel writer are well past him — insists that Jake help him with his next project, a book about Algonquin Park.

The story unfolds after they arrive at the long-neglected family cabin in the woods, a tranquil backdrop to their fractious relationship.

‘Algonquin’ had its theatrical launch in April after a festival run that included a premiere at the Montreal World Film Festival, and screenings at Cinefest and the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival where it picked up a special jury award.

“We opened theatrically in Toronto with a gala premiere at a packed theatre with 400 people,” Mr. Hayes added. “It’s touring across Canada in advance of its release on iTunes in July.”

A screening in Cobourg is being organized at the Northumberland Mall Theatres at 7:30 p.m. on July 14 by Ken Prue, the founder and programmer for Northumberland Film Sundays (NFS).

The special screening will give visitors a chance to mingle and chat with Mr. Hayes, who will attend the screening and talk about film art and his Cobourg connections.

According to Mr. Prue, a complimentary beer tasting will be a part of the event.

Tickets for the screening are $10 and are available at Harden and Huyse, 201 Division St., Cobourg and Bibelot, 91 Walton St., Port Hope, or at the NFS table at the theatre that night.

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Front Page, Industry News

Director of indie Canadian film ‘Algonquin’ has Cobourg connections

A love of films and their ability to tell stories in powerful ways is what initially drew Jonathan Hayes to filmmaking.

While the former Cobourg resident now lives in Toronto where he runs Berkeley Films Ltd., an independent film production company which produces both dramatic and documentary films, he has fond memories of his youth while living behind the Marie Dressler House and attending Cobourg District Collegiate Institute West.

“I grew up behind Marie Dressler House and that in and of itself isn’t a small thing,” he said. “The idea that someone who came from Cobourg went on to make films certainly had an impact.”

After high school he moved to Montreal to study at McGill University, before moving to California for several years and ultimately moving back to Toronto to work as a filmmaker.

“I love films, think it’s a really powerful way of telling stories and it brought together a whole range of my interests,” he said.

Asked about his latest film, ‘Algonquin,’ which he wrote and directed, Mr. Hayes said it’s the story of a father and son which uses Algonquin Park as a backdrop, exploring a complicated family dynamic.

“There has been a broad cross-section of interest in this film because it’s a multi-generational and layered story,” he said. “I find there are people who gravitate to it from both the son’s perspective and the father’s perspective.”

The film stars Mark Rendall as Jake, Nicholas Campbell as Leif and Sheila McCarthy as Rita.

He said everyone could relate to two ways of looking at a single relationship that the film features.

“I think it began with the character of the father, Leif, who I imagined as this sort of over-the-top lovable rogue, and the shadow he would cast on this son who is finding his way,” said Mr. Hayes. “He was doing that largely in the father’s absence, who was this one time successful travel writer and whose success came at the cost of being largely absent from his son’s life.”

He said that interesting relationship had some huge potential for drama, conflict and “all the good stuff.”

Jake, an unhappy school teacher, has his life upended when his shifty, rogue of a father, Leif — an absentee parent and a man whose best days as a travel writer are well past him — insists that Jake help him with his next project, a book about Algonquin Park.

The story unfolds after they arrive at the long-neglected family cabin in the woods, a tranquil backdrop to their fractious relationship.

‘Algonquin’ had its theatrical launch in April after a festival run that included a premiere at the Montreal World Film Festival, and screenings at Cinefest and the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival where it picked up a special jury award.

“We opened theatrically in Toronto with a gala premiere at a packed theatre with 400 people,” Mr. Hayes added. “It’s touring across Canada in advance of its release on iTunes in July.”

A screening in Cobourg is being organized at the Northumberland Mall Theatres at 7:30 p.m. on July 14 by Ken Prue, the founder and programmer for Northumberland Film Sundays (NFS).

The special screening will give visitors a chance to mingle and chat with Mr. Hayes, who will attend the screening and talk about film art and his Cobourg connections.

According to Mr. Prue, a complimentary beer tasting will be a part of the event.

Tickets for the screening are $10 and are available at Harden and Huyse, 201 Division St., Cobourg and Bibelot, 91 Walton St., Port Hope, or at the NFS table at the theatre that night.

Source:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Front Page, Industry News

Director of indie Canadian film ‘Algonquin’ has Cobourg connections

A love of films and their ability to tell stories in powerful ways is what initially drew Jonathan Hayes to filmmaking.

While the former Cobourg resident now lives in Toronto where he runs Berkeley Films Ltd., an independent film production company which produces both dramatic and documentary films, he has fond memories of his youth while living behind the Marie Dressler House and attending Cobourg District Collegiate Institute West.

“I grew up behind Marie Dressler House and that in and of itself isn’t a small thing,” he said. “The idea that someone who came from Cobourg went on to make films certainly had an impact.”

After high school he moved to Montreal to study at McGill University, before moving to California for several years and ultimately moving back to Toronto to work as a filmmaker.

“I love films, think it’s a really powerful way of telling stories and it brought together a whole range of my interests,” he said.

Asked about his latest film, ‘Algonquin,’ which he wrote and directed, Mr. Hayes said it’s the story of a father and son which uses Algonquin Park as a backdrop, exploring a complicated family dynamic.

“There has been a broad cross-section of interest in this film because it’s a multi-generational and layered story,” he said. “I find there are people who gravitate to it from both the son’s perspective and the father’s perspective.”

The film stars Mark Rendall as Jake, Nicholas Campbell as Leif and Sheila McCarthy as Rita.

He said everyone could relate to two ways of looking at a single relationship that the film features.

“I think it began with the character of the father, Leif, who I imagined as this sort of over-the-top lovable rogue, and the shadow he would cast on this son who is finding his way,” said Mr. Hayes. “He was doing that largely in the father’s absence, who was this one time successful travel writer and whose success came at the cost of being largely absent from his son’s life.”

He said that interesting relationship had some huge potential for drama, conflict and “all the good stuff.”

Jake, an unhappy school teacher, has his life upended when his shifty, rogue of a father, Leif — an absentee parent and a man whose best days as a travel writer are well past him — insists that Jake help him with his next project, a book about Algonquin Park.

The story unfolds after they arrive at the long-neglected family cabin in the woods, a tranquil backdrop to their fractious relationship.

‘Algonquin’ had its theatrical launch in April after a festival run that included a premiere at the Montreal World Film Festival, and screenings at Cinefest and the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival where it picked up a special jury award.

“We opened theatrically in Toronto with a gala premiere at a packed theatre with 400 people,” Mr. Hayes added. “It’s touring across Canada in advance of its release on iTunes in July.”

A screening in Cobourg is being organized at the Northumberland Mall Theatres at 7:30 p.m. on July 14 by Ken Prue, the founder and programmer for Northumberland Film Sundays (NFS).

The special screening will give visitors a chance to mingle and chat with Mr. Hayes, who will attend the screening and talk about film art and his Cobourg connections.

According to Mr. Prue, a complimentary beer tasting will be a part of the event.

Tickets for the screening are $10 and are available at Harden and Huyse, 201 Division St., Cobourg and Bibelot, 91 Walton St., Port Hope, or at the NFS table at the theatre that night.

Source:

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Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

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