The 2021 Sundance Film Festival, which is running virtually Jan. 28 to Feb. 3 due to the pandemic, will have a little Greater Sudbury flavour.
Phoenix Wilson, 15, is one of the cast members in the American film “Wild Indian.” It’s the story of two school-aged friends who are: “bound together after covering up the savage murder of a school mate” according to the Sundance synopsis.
In late 2019, Phoenix travelled to Oklahoma with his grandfather, Bill Wilson — who acts as his guardian when he's on location — to shoot the film.
He played a character called Mkwaa as a teen. Phoenix shared the role with Chaske Spencer, who plays the same character as an adult.
Spencer, by the way, is best known as playing werewolf Sam Uley in the “Twilight” film series. Phoenix and Spencer already worked together in season six of the television series “Longmire,” which you can view on Netflix.
“I loved everything about it,” the teen, who is Anishnaabe, told Sudbury.com in 2019. “The people are so amazing.”
Phoenix, a remote learning student at St. Charles College, said in a press release put out by his school he is sad he cannot attend the festival in-person, but the virtual opportunity means he can watch the film unfold for the first time with his family in Copper Cliff.
He’ll be happy to have his close family unit watch magic unfold, complete with his cheering squad of mom, stepdad, brother, and grandpa cheering him on. Of course, going to Utah for the premiere would be the “sickest thing in the world,” said Phoenix.
The teen has also been featured in a number of other productions, including films “Two Lovers and a Bear” and “Indian Horse,” and television shows including “Longmire,” “Letterkenny,” “Maple Mysteries” and “Hard Rock Medical.”
