Canadian writer and director Don McKellar at Parkdale high school for Last Night screening with Reel Canada film festival
April 3, 2009 by Richard Budman ·
TORONTO (HoundsTV) Mar 31, 2009 – Canadian writer, director, and actor Don McKellar was at Parkdale high school in Toronto this week to screen his 1998 feature, Last Night – his end-of-the world character study.
McKellar was taking part in Reel Canada, a program that shows Canadian movies in high schools and has the filmmakers then talk to the students about the films.
The Reel Canada program was started four years ago when it was felt young Canadians were not identifying with Canadian films – or its makers.
McKellar told HoundsTV he has spent the last week talking to American filmmakers and what he was hearing back was not pretty. “Their industry is collapsing and no movies are being made. That is what everybody is feeling – real panic down there. It’s the state of the economy in general. I know a lot of people that are panicking and feeling like that.” said McKellar, adding, “studios are retrenching and just making super hero films.”
McKellar agreed to be part of the program because he also recognized awareness of Canadian film and its actors was low among students (that is, unless your name is Jim Carrey.)
“Internationally people know Canadian films almost more then Canadians do.” McKellar said just before the students were to screen his directorial debut Last Night.
“Its weird. You come home and people don’t know Canadian films or the directors – but you just been talking in France or Germany about Canadian films. Its a strange thing.”
Reel Canada founders say they are delighted with the results the film program has shown so far and do believe it will help build audiences for Canadian movies.
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