A Wake
February 18, 2011
Director: Penelope Buitenhuis
Starring: Nicholas Campbell, Martha Burns, Tara Nicodemo, Krista Sutton, Raoul Bhaneja, Sarain Boylan, Kristopher Turner
Distributor: Domino Film and Television InternationalWriter/Director Penelope Buitenhuis’ new feature film A WAKE won the prestigious Best Feature Film award at the 2010 Carmel Arts and Film Festival where Clint Eastwood was on hand to confer the honour. In addition, it won the Best Film Award at the 2010 Female Eye Festival in Toronto. She was also nominated for a Director’s Guild of Canada Award for Best feature Director for this improvised tour de force with a Shakespearian subtext. Co-written by Buitenhuis and Krista Sutton and produced by Paul Scherzer and Breakthrough Entertainment, A WAKE is distributed in Canada by Domino Film and Television International Ltd.
Featuring performances from a superb ensemble cast, A WAKE is a riveting, darkly comic drama about a troupe of actors that reunite for the wake of their eccentric theatre director, Gabor Zazlov (Nicholas Campbell). His widow (Tara Nicodemo) welcomes the thespians to their country home, but soon looses control of the proceedings when old rivalries and jealousies erupt. As members of Gabor’s last ill-fated production of Hamlet four years ago, the actors are haunted by their past together. Tyler (Graham Abbey), who was Laertes and then Hamlet, is now a minor Hollywood star and secretly in love with Maya (Krista Sutton), the quiet Ophelia. Raj (Raoul Bhaneja), a successful real-estate agent, is still resentful over losing the role of Hamlet to Tyler. However, it’s sexy, troubled Danielle (Sarain Boylan), whose presence causes the most controversy. Sabina (Martha Burns), the company’s patron, demands to know why “this whore was invited” and the memorial erupts. The unexpected arrival of Gabor’s son, Chad (Kristopher Turner), ratchets up the tension further. Just back from Europe, he knew nothing of his father’s death and accuses his stepmother of killing him. Another Hamlet joins the fray. Not quite forgotten in the chaos is Gabor’s deathbed request to mount a final reading of Hamlet. When Hanna can’t continue, Chad takes on the role of director, mining devastating truths from the actors. To thine own self be true. With morning hangovers, they all prepare to leave, altered by this tumultuous night. But one shocking truth remains to take centre stage.
February 18, 2011
Director: Penelope Buitenhuis
Starring: Nicholas Campbell, Martha Burns, Tara Nicodemo, Krista Sutton, Raoul Bhaneja, Sarain Boylan, Kristopher Turner
Distributor: Domino Film and Television InternationalWriter/Director Penelope Buitenhuis’ new feature film A WAKE won the prestigious Best Feature Film award at the 2010 Carmel Arts and Film Festival where Clint Eastwood was on hand to confer the honour. In addition, it won the Best Film Award at the 2010 Female Eye Festival in Toronto. She was also nominated for a Director’s Guild of Canada Award for Best feature Director for this improvised tour de force with a Shakespearian subtext. Co-written by Buitenhuis and Krista Sutton and produced by Paul Scherzer and Breakthrough Entertainment, A WAKE is distributed in Canada by Domino Film and Television International Ltd.
Featuring performances from a superb ensemble cast, A WAKE is a riveting, darkly comic drama about a troupe of actors that reunite for the wake of their eccentric theatre director, Gabor Zazlov (Nicholas Campbell). His widow (Tara Nicodemo) welcomes the thespians to their country home, but soon looses control of the proceedings when old rivalries and jealousies erupt. As members of Gabor’s last ill-fated production of Hamlet four years ago, the actors are haunted by their past together. Tyler (Graham Abbey), who was Laertes and then Hamlet, is now a minor Hollywood star and secretly in love with Maya (Krista Sutton), the quiet Ophelia. Raj (Raoul Bhaneja), a successful real-estate agent, is still resentful over losing the role of Hamlet to Tyler. However, it’s sexy, troubled Danielle (Sarain Boylan), whose presence causes the most controversy. Sabina (Martha Burns), the company’s patron, demands to know why “this whore was invited” and the memorial erupts. The unexpected arrival of Gabor’s son, Chad (Kristopher Turner), ratchets up the tension further. Just back from Europe, he knew nothing of his father’s death and accuses his stepmother of killing him. Another Hamlet joins the fray. Not quite forgotten in the chaos is Gabor’s deathbed request to mount a final reading of Hamlet. When Hanna can’t continue, Chad takes on the role of director, mining devastating truths from the actors. To thine own self be true. With morning hangovers, they all prepare to leave, altered by this tumultuous night. But one shocking truth remains to take centre stage.