A Short Film by Jack Blum
from a script by Sharon Corder
"The
problem is quite simple, really… but also somewhat complex."A man sits alone in his quiet suburban house, absorbed in an intricate model of the DNA molecule. Two attractive young women arrive and he serves them tea. The purpose of their visit gradually becomes clear: They are there to help him dispose of the clothing of his wife who is recently deceased.
But the situation is not so straightforward. There are more clothes than one woman should reasonably have acquired and most of the garments are brand new, their store tags still attached.
As the truth of the circumstance reveals itself, it is simple, really, but also quite complex.
The man, his dead wife, the two women, the DNA molecule, the clothes -- is it possible they are all connected?
"… It may be that every one of those chromosomes contains all this information, from a hundred years ago, a thousand years ago… like stories, you see, stories of everything that's ever happened to everyone…"
TORONTO
- August 7/03
For immediate release
For immediate release
TORONTO
INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL TO PREMIERE "DNA" AS PART OF PERSPECTIVE CANADA
A Who's Who of Canadian talent featured
in a highly original short film
A Who's Who of Canadian talent featured
in a highly original short film
Director Jack Blum and screenwriter Sharon Corder (who also shared the producing duties) were the co-creators and co-producers of the critically acclaimed Traders, one of Canada's most popular television series. Their credits include CTV's hit series Power Play (Supervising Producers) and the feature film Babyface (Director/Writer/Producers), which was invited to the Directors Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998.
DNA tells the story of Ray (Riley), a widower who must finally dispose of his wife's clothing with the help of two young women (Vannicola and Bridges). But this simple situation develops in surprising ways, allowing the filmmakers to explore larger themes of loss, healing, and the bonds that link all living things. The man, his dead wife, the two women, the DNA molecule, the clothes - is it possible they all have some profound and mysterious connection?
"I met a man once who was dealing with a recent loss in an unusually creative way, and I never forgot him," says Corder. "Finally, he resurfaced in this story."
Blum continues, "I think it was because Sharon's script had so much resonance that we could attract such an amazing cast and crew to this intimate project."
The production team features some of the best behind-the-camera talent in the country; a score by top composer and arranger Aaron Davis (Holly Cole Trio), sound design by Steve Munro (The Sweet Hereafter), and cinematography by Adam Swica (George Romero's Bruiser, Joe's So Mean to Josephine). The Executive producer of DNA is Wendy Grean. Terry Markus is co-producer.
Shot on 35mm for less than $20,000, the film received financial support from CBC Reflections and the National Film Board of Canada.
DIRECTOR / PRODUCER
Actor, director, writer, producer, award-winner. Jack Blum's experience spans all of the above, on big and small screens, on radio and on stage.
Beginning his career in the theatre, Jack graduated from the National Theatre School of Canada, English Acting Program. While amassing acting credits in feature films and television, he began making a name for himself as a director in the theatre. Productions include premieres at such companies as Tarragon Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, Theatre London, Theatre Calgary and California's La Jolla Playhouse, where he was Associate Artistic Director.
In his first ventures as a screenwriter, he co-wrote two award-winning films: Hockey Night, starring Megan Follows and Rick Moranis, and The Umpire, a short film produced by the National Film Board of Canada, which won major awards at San Francisco's Festival of the Humanities and New York's American Film Festival.
Subsequently, he formed a screenwriting partnership with Sharon Corder and together the pair have worked as writers, story editors and producers of dozens of episodes of television drama. They were Co-Creators and Co-Producers of the first season of the award-winning series Traders, developing some of the show's most popular characters. The two also served as Supervising Producers of the hit CTV series Power Play, and collaborated with Keith Lock on the script for the first Chinese-Canadian feature film, Small Pleasures.
In 1997, Blum co-wrote and directed Babyface, his first feature film. Babyface had its world premiere in the Directors' Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival in 1998. Since then it has played to acclaim at festivals around the world.
DNA is his second film.
WRITER / PRODUCER
Sharon Corder began her career in the theatre, training as an actor at the University of California at Davis.
She was Co-Artistic Director of the Genesis Company Theatre in Vancouver and later played starring roles in various regional theatres across Canada, most notably in Automatic Pilot in Calgary and The Belle of Amherst in Montreal. Corder produced and starred in Getting Out in Toronto which won the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Artistic Excellence and Theatrical Innovation.
Subsequently, she formed a screenwriting partnership with Jack Blum and together the pair have worked as writers, story editors and producers of dozens of episodes of television drama. They were Co-Creators and Co-Producers of the first season of the award-winning series Traders, developing some of the show's most popular characters. The two also served as Supervising Producers of the hit CTV series Power Play, and collaborated with Keith Lock on the script for the first Chinese-Canadian feature film, Small Pleasures.
Additionally, Corder has written episodes for TV's Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Twilight Zone, and created YTV's original half-hour drama series, ON OUR OWN.
In 1997, Corder co-wrote and co-produced Babyface, her first feature film. Babyface had its world premiere in the Directors' Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival in 1998. Since then it has played to acclaim at festivals around the world.
MICHAEL RILEY (RAY)
Michael is one of Canada's most celebrated actors, having won the Gemini for Best Actor three times, and enjoyed many more nominations for Geminies, Genies and the Dora Mavor Moore Award. He won acclaim for his portrayal of Brent Parker, the ambitious agent/manager at the centre of the CTV hockey series Power Play.
His dozens of film and television credits include Steven Spielberg's Amistad, Lawrence Kasdan's French Kiss, Perfectly Normal, Diplomatic Immunity, And God Spoke, and the mini-series To Catch A Killer, to name just a few.
"Who is this master of anonymity? This gifted actor may achieve movie stardom because he's made a specialty of being incognito from role to role. Fans who see him in more than one movie often don't realize they are watching the same actor."
- Martin Knelman, Toronto Life
"Riley again shows his remarkable facility for submerging into a role so thoroughly there is no residue of prior roles. The man is an acting chameleon."
- Bruce Kirkland, Toronto Sun
KRISTA BRIDGES (LAURA)
Krista has been a glittering presence on the Canadian film and television scene since her Genie-nominated performance in Gail Harvey's 1992 feature The Shower. Since then she has appeared in countless films and television series, both in Canada and in the U.S. She was a regular on the Canadian series Power Play and her numerous guest appearances include shows such as Doc, John Woo's Once A Thief, Forever Knight, Side Effects, Robocop, Catwalk and Hidden Room, among many others.
Most recently she won raves for her portrayal of Jason Patric's wife in the 2002 sleeper hit Narc.
JOANNE VANNICOLA (RICKIE)
Joanne has been acting professionally since she was fifteen and has amassed an impressive array of credits and awards and nominations. Her portrayal of the title character in Maggie's Secret, directed by the late Al Waxman, won her an Emmy award, and she has worked with director Denys Arcand on several occasions, earning a Genie nomination for her performance in Love and Human Remains. Her presence on the long-running series PSI Factor has gained her a large international following. She has also performed at many of Canada's finest theatres and created many theatre pieces as a writer/director.
5. Laura (Krista Bridges) tries on some great boots. [530KB]
6. Ray (Michael Riley) works on the DNA model. [451KB]
7. Laura (Krista Bridges) and Ricki (Joanne Vannicola)
play dressup. [521KB]
8. Ray (Michael Riley) and Ricki (Joanne Vannicola)
watch Laura try on the Dr. Zhivago coat. [669KB]
12. Laura (Krista Bridges) tries on the Dr. Zhivago coat. [454KB]
14. Ray (Michael Riley) works on the DNA model. [479KB]
5. Laura (Krista Bridges) tries on some great boots. [9125KB]
6. Ray (Michael Riley) works on the DNA model. [9125KB]
7. Laura (Krista Bridges) and Ricki (Joanne Vannicola)
play dressup. [9125KB]
8. Ray (Michael Riley) and Ricki (Joanne Vannicola)
watch Laura try on the Dr. Zhivago coat. [9125KB]
12. Laura (Krista Bridges) tries on the Dr. Zhivago coat. [9125KB]
14. Ray (Michael Riley) works on the DNA model. [9125KB]
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For
further media information, interviews
and screeners, please contact:
Davidson Communications
Tel: 416.960.8625 Fax: 416.922.7948
E-mail: DNA@davidsoncommunications.com
Photos are available by download from:
www.davidsoncommunications.com/dna
and screeners, please contact:
Davidson Communications
Tel: 416.960.8625 Fax: 416.922.7948
E-mail: DNA@davidsoncommunications.com
Photos are available by download from:
www.davidsoncommunications.com/dna
Burning
Past Productions Inc.
176 Madison Ave. Toronto, Ontario Canada M5R 2S5
tel: 416.923.3357 fax: 416.923.6854
E-mail: jbsrc@ca.inter.net
176 Madison Ave. Toronto, Ontario Canada M5R 2S5
tel: 416.923.3357 fax: 416.923.6854
E-mail: jbsrc@ca.inter.net
Copyright
© 2003-2005. Burning Past Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved.