By Adrian Lysenko
New Vision Unlimited and IMPACT Arts in association with Imaginarium Studio are pleased to announce a sneak peek screening of Autumn Springs (2017), a feature film that addresses the issue of sexual assault from a unique perspective—through the eyes of men, and the many choices they make in how they treat women. Screenings will be hosted in Sioux Lookout on Thursday, March 30 and Thunder Bay on Friday March 31, 2017.
With a distinct Northern Ontario feel this story follows Trevor and his teenage daughter, Lauren, as they visit Autumn Springs, a town he vacationed in as a teenager. While in the community Trevor is confronted by his past and Lauren is faced with a challenge that threatens to unravel her future. Both struggle to figure out who they are and how they can move forward within their new realties. Incredibly relevant, unique and timely, Autumn Springs is both moving and inspiring.
Filmed in Sioux Lookout and Lac Seul First Nation in August 2015, this project brought together over 100 people (crew, actors and musicians) from Sioux Lookout, Thunder Bay, Lac Seul First Nation, Dryden, and Timmins to create a story intended to prompt conversation about this important issue.
Autumn Springs centres around Trevor McMahon (Bill Pozzobon), an environmental scientist who returns for work to the northern Ontario town where he vacationed as a teenager. Along with him for the journey are his teenage daughter, Lauren (Hannah Ehman) and son, Jake (Ty Horvath-Thompson). Trevor is forced to confront his past while Lauren faces her own challenges as a young woman venturing into the world of boys, dating, and love.
With a crew from Thunder Bay and Sioux Lookout, the film’s cast includes actors from Timmins and Dryden, as well as Vancouver. “It was truly a project that attracted people to it regardless of geography,” says filmmaker Jessica Graham. “The volunteers, cast, and crew were better than I could ask for.”
Autumn Springs was produced by Erin Horvath, with financial support from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, the Ontario Arts Council, as well as community organizations and businesses. The film is also produced in association with Thunder Bay’s Imaginarium Studio, who released their debut feature length film, These Lovers, in 2014.
“Although it is a micro-budget film, the production value on this project reaches significantly above its modest scale thanks to the quality of the cast, the beautiful locations, a supportive community, some amazing volunteers and a professional production team,” says Milosz Skowronski, president of Imaginarium Studio. The film crew also includes award-winning filmmaker Piotr Skowronski who served as the film’s director of photography.
“Sharing a film for the first time is one of the amazing experiences that film professionals, actors and community participants get to experience,” says Milosz.