News

For Immediate Release
Thursday, September 13, 2012

Unique Film Project From Thorneloe University To Be Screened at Cinefest Sudbury

A preview clip is available at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151094583642561

A dramatic feature film written and directed by Thorneloe University professor Benjamin Paquette will premiere at Cinefest Sudbury International Film Festival, SilverCity Cinemas, Friday, September 21, 2012 at 3:30 pm. Titled “Perspective,” the film is part of the First Cut program at Cinefest, and is serving as a teaching tool for film production students at Thorneloe University where a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is offered in co-operation with Laurentian.

“Sudbury continues to grow as a location of choice for film production, which presents an excellent opportunity for Thorneloe to expand its course offerings in this field,” says Thorneloe University President, the Rev. Dr. Robert Derrenbacker. “The film production course is one of several courses that comprise the film production curriculum within the Bachelor of Fine Arts program. Students have an exceptional opportunity to work on a real production to see how it all comes together.”

What makes “Perspective” unique is that it is a film in progress, and will continue to evolve over the next four to eight years. Every year a new chapter of the film will be presented at Cinefest until the project is complete. Each chapter will run approximately 10 to 20 minutes, with the final film expected to be approximately 90 minutes in length. The time lapse between chapters will be integrated into the drama. The first chapter, titled “Salt & Soda,” will be presented this year. A moderated discussion with members of the cast and crew will follow the presentation.

“This is a very innovative approach to filmmaking,” said Benjamin Paquette. “At most film schools, students rarely get such direct and complete access to the production of a professional feature, from start to finish. Some of the students landed jobs on movie sets in Northern Ontario as a result of their experience working on the first chapter of this film,” said Paquette.

“Benjamin Paquette, an accomplished filmmaker and educator, saw Cinefest as a wonderful venue for learning, and so proposed ‘Perspective’ for the First Cut program,” said Tammy Frick, Executive Director of Cinefest. “The films that are screened as part of the First Cut program are not yet finished, so they are meant to provide a unique learning experience for students and others interested in education and filmmaking.”

Subtitled “Variations on a Love Triangle in 9 Chapters,” “Perspective” is a romantic drama revolving around the lives of three people, and features exceptional performances from Sudbury-based actors Stéphane Paquette, Pandora Topp, and Thorneloe Theatre Arts professor Patricia Tedford.

Produced for Sudbury-based Nortario Films by Jason Ross Jallet and Benjamin Paquette, “Perspective” features the work of acclaimed cinematographer Ivan Gekoff, music and sound design by Sudbury-based Daniel Bédard, and production design by Joseph Kabbach.

Originally from Sudbury, Benjamin Paquette started his professional filmmaking career in Montreal, where he also taught film production for 10 years. “Perspective” will mark his fourth consecutive year at Cinefest, and his sixth overall. He made his first appearance at Cinefest as a film student in 1995, when his short film won an award. Since then, each of his four features have screened at Cinefest. He returned to Sudbury in the fall of 2009 to supervise the development of a film production curriculum within the Bachelor of Fine Arts program at Thorneloe. Paquette presently teaches multiple film courses at Thorneloe, including production and screenwriting. Fellow producing partner Jason Ross Jallet also teaches within the curriculum.

Thorneloe University is an interdisciplinary centre of teaching, learning and research in the humanities, the arts and theology. A founding member of the Laurentian University federation affiliated with the Anglican Church, Thorneloe provides an accessible education fostering critical inquiry in a student-focused environment.

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Media Contact:
Dr. Robert Derrenbacker, President, Thorneloe University
(705) 673-1730, ext. 23, rderrenbacker@laurentian.ca