Cinéfest's Friday gala features some serious star power

Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival's Friday, Sept. 23 gala, “Mean Dreams,” was shot in Sault Ste. Marie a year ago, and features some serious star power.

But don't expect to see Hollywood A-lister Bill Paxton, Sophie Nélisse (you might recognize the 16-year-old Canadian's name from “The Book Thief”) or Canadian acting legend Colm Feore at the screening.

Unfortunately, they're all working on other film projects, and can't make it, said the film's Toronto-based director, Nathan Morlando.

The film description provided by Cinéfest said "Mean Dreams" follows courageous local farm boy Jonas (Josh Wiggins) and the new girl next door, Casey (Nélisse), as they embark on a journey that will change their lives forever. 

As young love blossoms between the two 15-year-olds, Jonas also discovers that Casey’s abusive home life has reached a new level of danger, and Jonas takes the lead in their escape by stealing a bag full of drug money from Casey’s corrupt father—local cop Wayne Caraway (Paxton). 

Feore, by the way, plays the town's equally crooked sheriff.

With the stolen cash as their only means to a better life, Casey flees with Jonas and together, under relentless pursuit from her father, they learn the hard truth of what it will take in order to survive. 

In the end, Casey and Jonas are forced to make a life-altering choice from which there will be no turning back.

Morlando said the film received a great reception at the Cannes Film Festival and the recent Toronto International Film Festival.

But it means a lot to him to be screening it at Cinéfest, given the film was shot in Northern Ontario. While you shouldn't expect star power, Morlando's coming to the screening along with producers Allison Black and William Woods.

“Cinéfest is such a fantastic festival, and it's such a welcoming and friendly and inspiring festival, that to have a special presentation there, is a double honour,” said Morlando.

“So it's doubly meaningful, because it's our first presentation in the north.”

Morlando also shot his first feature film, “Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster,” in Sault Ste. Marie, and said he considers the city a second home.

“The community itself is very welcoming, and they are fantastic, and very generous hosts,” he said, adding he wants to arrange a screening there too. “It really makes the filmmaking experience a very positive one.”

The film isn't specifically set in the Sault, however — the setting is kept vague, somewhere in the Great Lakes region of North America.
As for working with A-listers, Morlando said it was a dream.

“Co-creating the characters is a really great experience, working with such talented actors,” he said.

“The high-profile nature of Bill Paxton and Colm Feore and Sophie Nélisse always of course help in the marketing and distribution of the film, and bring it some audience attention.”

Paxton, in particular, delivers a nuanced performance, Morlando said, adding he didn't have a hard time recruiting the actor, as Paxton was looking for a challenging character.

“It's pretty powerful,” he said. “His character Wayne is a man who's addicted to alcohol and perhaps other things. You see him undergo a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde transformation, as often happens with those kinds of addictions.

“Bill and I both wanted to portray that transformation and that addiction in its brutal honesty. He had the courage to go there. He in his own earlier life experience — as a young teen, actually — knew someone that was a bit like this character.

“So he was able to bring that experience, which would have been very painful, into his performance. It's truly a remarkable performance.”

Mean Dreams screens as part of Cinéfest Friday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. For tickets and the Sept. 17-24 festival's full lineup, visit cinefest.com.