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Wildhood
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Wikipedia article
'Wildhood' is a 2021 Canadian dramatic romantic coming of age film, directed by Bretten Hannam.Steve Gow, [https://www.halifaxtoday.ca/local-news/nova-scotias-film-industry-restarts-with-wildhood-2662980 "Nova Scotia's film industry restarts with 'Wildhood'"]. 'Halifax Today', August 25, 2020.
An expansion of Hannam's earlier short film 'Wildfire', which was the winner of the award for Best Short Film at the Screen Nova Scotia awards in 2020,[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/heather-young-murmur-screen-nova-scotia-prize-1.5830634 "Murmur wins top prize at Screen Nova Scotia awards"]. CBC News Nova Scotia, December 6, 2020. the film stars Phillip Lewitski as Lincoln, a young man in his late teens who was raised disconnected from his maternal Mi'kmaq heritage by his abusive white father Arvin (Joel Thomas Hynes); following the discovery that his mother Sarah, whom he had long been told was dead, is in fact still alive, he takes his younger half-brother Travis (Avery Winters-Anthony) on a journey to find her. En route, they meet the openly two-spirit Pasmay (Joshua Odjick), who becomes both a guide to Lincoln in reconnecting with his indigenous roots and a love interest.[https://www.saltwire.com/halifax/lifestyles/local-lifestyles/hannams-wildhood-a-two-spirit-teenage-road-trip-now-filming-in-windsor-486939/ "Hannams Wildhood, a two-spirit teenage road trip, now filming in Windsor"]. 'SaltWire Network', August 19, 2020.
The cast also includes Michael Greyeyes, Savonna Spracklin, Jordan Poole, Samuel Davison and Steve Lund.
Production and distribution
The film's screenplay won Telefilm Canada's Pitch This! competition at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival, and was funded by Telefilm Canada in 2019.Jeremy Kay, [https://www.screendaily.com/news/telefilm-canada-unveils-eight-indigenous-filmmakers-to-receive-backing/5140762.article "Telefilm Canada unveils eight indigenous filmmakers to receive backing"]. 'Screen Daily', June 27, 2019. The film entered production in 2020 in the Windsor, Nova Scotia area.
The film premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2021.Rebecca Rubin, [https://variety.com/2021/film/news/toronto-film-festival-contemporary-world-cinema-discovery-lineup-1235029304/ "Toronto Film Festival Unveils Contemporary World Cinema and Discovery Lineup"]. 'Variety', July 28, 2021. It was subsequently screened at the 2021 Cinfest Sudbury International Film Festival, the 2021 Atlantic Film Festival, and the 2021 Vancouver International Film Festival. It has been acquired for commercial distribution by Films Boutique.Leo Barraclough, [https://variety.com/2021/film/global/toronto-wildhood-bretten-hannam-films-boutique-1235050630/ "Toronto-Bound Wildhood, Helmed by Bretten Hannam, Picked Up by Films Boutique"]. 'Variety', August 27, 2021.
Critical response
Lovia Gyarkye of 'The Hollywood Reporter' reviewed the film favourably, writing that "The trios dynamic is entertaining, and they crack jokes with the same fierceness with which they argue. But its the evolving romance between Link and Pasmay thats the most fun to witness. Maybe Im a sucker for romance, but watching Link and Pasmay steal glances and exchange knowing smirks begins to feel more thrilling than the journey itself. Lewitski, who stars in Hulus 'Utopia Falls', and Odjick have a subtle and exciting chemistry that makes rooting for their budding love easy. The progress of that love is measured by the proximity of their bodies, which, as they get closer to finding Sarah, feel bound by an almost spiritual force."Lovia Gyarkye, [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/wildhood-tiff-2021-1235018660/ "Wildhood: Film Review | TIFF 2021"]. 'The Hollywood Reporter', September 22, 2021.
For 'The Coast', Morgan Mullin wrote that "the movie is at its strongest when it turns away from the family that abandoned its leads and leans into their frisson-filled connection instead (even if their most intimate moment borrows a touch too heavily from 'Moonlight'). Traipsing the countryside together and awash in that magic-hour light, the two youth learn to be themselves while Pasmay teaches Link pow wow dancing."Morgan Mullin, [https://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/movie-review-wildhoods-ephemeral-glow/Content?oid=27207111 "Movie review: Wildhoods ephemeral glow"]. 'The Coast', September 16, 2021.
Awards
References
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