The Northlander

The Northlander is a 2016 Canadian fantasy adventure film written and directed by Benjamin Ross Hayden.[1] The film stars Corey Sevier as Cygnus, Roseanne Supernault as Mari, and Michelle Thrush as Nova. The film was produced by Benjamin Ross Hayden's production company Manifold Pictures and filmed in Alberta.[2]

For the now-cancelled passenger train service, see Northlander.
The Northlander
Theatrical release poster
Directed byBenjamin Ross Hayden
Produced byBenjamin Ross Hayden
Wendy Hill-Tout
Jeremy Torrie
Adam Beach
Jim Compton
Written byBenjamin Ross Hayden
StarringCorey Sevier
Roseanne Supernault
Michelle Thrush
Music byMichalis Andronikou
CinematographyDan Dumouchel
Production
company
Manifold Pictures
Distributed byRaven Banner Entertainment
Release date
Running time
98 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

The film premiered at the 40th Montreal World Film Festival.[3] The film was selected in the Perspective Canada program at Cannes in 2016.[4] It was distributed under the banner Raven Banner Entertainment theatrically in Canada. The Northlander was lauded as one among "8 of indigenous cinema's most important films" by i-D magazine.[5] The Northlander theatrically opened in over ten major cities across Canada between October 2016 and April 2017.[6]

The Northlander won Best Screenplay Award at the 40th Alberta Film & Television Awards,[7] and for directing the film Hayden was awarded the RBC Artist Award at the Mayor's Lunch for Arts Champions.[8]

Plot

In the year 2961, the time is after humanity and nature have recovered the land. A hunter named Cygnus is called to protect his people. He travels across a desert valley to protect his tribe against a band of Heretics and must find a way for his tribe to survive.

The story is inspired by the historic journey of the Métis leader Louis Riel away from Batoche, Saskatchewan toward the Montana mountains in the 1880s.[9]

The film's futuristic styling of Canadian history has the film contributing to the science fiction movements of Indigenous Futurism.[5]

Cast

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipients Result Ref.
AMPIA Awards 2016 Best Dramatic Feature Film Benjamin Ross Hayden Nominated [10]
Best Director Nominated
Best Screenwriter Won
Best Performance by an Alberta Actor Nathaniel Arcand Nominated
Best Performance by an Alberta Actress Michelle Thrush Nominated
Best Costume Designer Dee Fontans, Shannon Chappell, Jessica Waddell & Samantha Huskisson Nominated
Leo Awards May 27, 2017 Best Makeup Design Melissa Meretsky, Jennifer Walton Won [11]
Canadian Screen Awards March 12, 2017 Melissa Meretsky, Jennifer Walton, Lisa Belyea Nominated [12]

See also

References
  1. "Alberta-shot sci-fi feature The Northlander examines identity and survival with a Metis twist". Calgary Herald. Eric Volmers. 8 October 2016.
  2. "Indigenous sci-fi flick filmed in Alberta to screen across Canada". CBC News. 11 October 2016.
  3. "Canadian identity resonates in new film". The Concordian. Jessica Kinnari. 6 September 2016.
  4. "The Northlander - Perspective Canada". Telefilm Canada.
  5. "8 of indigenous cinema's most important films". i-D. Braudie Blais-Billie. 15 November 2016.
  6. "Calgary Aboriginal sci-fi beams back into theatres for second run". Metro News. Aaron Chatha. 6 April 2017.
  7. "Reclaiming, retelling and revisioning Indigenous stories". CBC News. 23 April 2017.
  8. "Calgary director Benjamin Ross Hayden". CBC News. 28 March 2017.
  9. "The Northlander: Looking Both Directions with Métis Sci-Fi film". FREQ Magazine. 10 May 2017.
  10. "Past winners and Nominees". AMPIA.
  11. "2017 Leo Awards Winners by Name". Leo Awards. 27 May 2017.
  12. "2017 Canadian Screen Awards Nominees Revealed". ET Canada. Brent Furdyk. 17 January 2017.
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