The Northlander
| The Northlander | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Benjamin Ross Hayden |
| Written by | Benjamin Ross Hayden |
| Produced by | Benjamin Ross Hayden Wendy Hill-Tout Jeremy Torrie Adam Beach Jim Compton |
| Starring | Corey Sevier Roseanne Supernault Michelle Thrush |
| Cinematography | Dan Dumouchel |
| Music by | Michalis Andronikou |
Production company | Manifold Pictures |
| Distributed by | Raven Banner Entertainment |
Release date |
|
Running time | 98 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
The Northlander is a 2016 Canadian fantasy adventure film written and directed by Benjamin Ross Hayden.[1] The film stars Corey Sevier as Cygnus, Roseanne Supernault as Mari, and Michelle Thrush as Nova. The film was produced by Benjamin Ross Hayden's production company Manifold Pictures and filmed in Alberta.[2]
The film premiered at the 40th Montreal World Film Festival.[3] The film was selected in the Perspective Canada program at Cannes in 2016.[4] It was distributed under the banner Raven Banner Entertainment theatrically in Canada. The Northlander was lauded as one among "8 of indigenous cinema's most important films" by i-D magazine.[5] The Northlander theatrically opened in over ten major cities across Canada between October 2016 and April 2017.[6]
The Northlander won Best Screenplay Award at the 40th Alberta Film & Television Awards,[7] and for directing the film Hayden was awarded the RBC Artist Award at the Mayor's Lunch for Arts Champions.[8]
Plot[edit]
In the year 2961, the time is after humanity and nature have recovered the land. A hunter named Cygnus is called to protect his people. He travels across a desert valley to protect his tribe against a band of Heretics and must find a way for his tribe to survive.
The story is inspired by the historic journey of the Métis leader Louis Riel away from Batoche, Saskatchewan toward the Montana mountains in the 1880s.[9]
The film's futuristic styling of Canadian history has the film contributing to the science fiction movements of Indigenous Futurism.[5]
Cast[edit]
- Corey Sevier as Cygnus
- Roseanne Supernault as Mari
- Michelle Thrush as Nova
- Nathaniel Arcand
- Julian Black Antelope
Accolades[edit]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipients | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMPIA Awards | 2016 | Best Dramatic Feature Film | Benjamin Ross Hayden | Nominated | [10] |
| Best Director | Nominated | ||||
| Best Screenwriter | Won | ||||
| Best Performance by an Alberta Actor | Nathaniel Arcand | Nominated | |||
| Best Performance by an Alberta Actress | Michelle Thrush | Nominated | |||
| Best Costume Designer | Dee Fontans, Shannon Chappell, Jessica Waddell & Samantha Huskisson | Nominated | |||
| Leo Awards | May 27, 2017 | Best Makeup Design | Melissa Meretsky, Jennifer Walton | Won | [11] |
| Canadian Screen Awards | March 12, 2017 | Melissa Meretsky, Jennifer Walton, Lisa Belyea | Nominated | [12] |
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Alberta-shot sci-fi feature The Northlander examines identity and survival with a Metis twist". Calgary Herald. Eric Volmers. 8 October 2016.
- ^ "Indigenous sci-fi flick filmed in Alberta to screen across Canada". CBC News. 11 October 2016.
- ^ "Canadian identity resonates in new film". The Concordian. Jessica Kinnari. 6 September 2016.
- ^ "The Northlander - Perspective Canada". Telefilm Canada.
- ^ a b "8 of indigenous cinema's most important films". i-D. Braudie Blais-Billie. 15 November 2016.
- ^ "Calgary Aboriginal sci-fi beams back into theatres for second run". Metro News. Aaron Chatha. 6 April 2017.
- ^ "Reclaiming, retelling and revisioning Indigenous stories". CBC News. 23 April 2017.
- ^ "Calgary director Benjamin Ross Hayden". CBC News. 28 March 2017.
- ^ "The Northlander: Looking Both Directions with Métis Sci-Fi film". FREQ Magazine. 10 May 2017.
- ^ "Past winners and Nominees". AMPIA.
- ^ "2017 Leo Awards Winners by Name". Leo Awards. 27 May 2017. Archived from the original on 2 June 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
- ^ "2017 Canadian Screen Awards Nominees Revealed". ET Canada. Brent Furdyk. 17 January 2017. Archived from the original on January 18, 2017.
