Bentonville Film Festival - The Sun At Midnight
Set at the Arctic Circle, The Sun At Midnight tells the story of an unexpected friendship between a hunter obsessed with finding a missing caribou herd and a teenage rebel who gets lost while on the run.
Interview with Writer/Director Kirsten Carthew
Watch The Sun At Midnight on Tubi and Prime Video
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thanks. I made the film because I wanted to show how immersion in nature supports self-discovery and mental wellness and I wanted to showcase the spectacular cinematic beauty of the Arctic Circle (Canada’s Northwest Territories) in the Summer and Fall time.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
As an audience member you travel with Lia, a 16 year old urban teen, to a remote part of the world, and you participate in her adventure in the wilderness. I think for most audience members, life in the remote wilderness is akin to science fiction, where the rules of the world are different than what you are used to. I believe/hope the film delivers on providing audiences with the experience of being transported to another place; and one that becomes familiar and you feel better for having been to.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The film was shot in Canada’s Northwest Territories. It is the first film from this part of the world. The Northwest Territories is bigger than France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom combined… but, less than 40,000 people live there. We shot in and around Ft McPherson, a community of 750 people. The story is so specific to the people and places within the NWT that it is universal. Anyone who has experienced the loneliness of a city can relate to Alfred’s feelings of isolation in the community. Anyone who has suffered loss or felt disconnected from themselves can relate to the personal journeys of Lia and Alfred.
These are the personal themes – and they are universal, because as people we are so similar in our wants and needs. Additionally, themes relating to the need for greater environmental stewardship and the importance of connectivity with nature, are embraced by universal audiences, and told in The Sun At Midnight through specific references to champion protection for caribou populations, as well as for the lands and waters in the Arctic and Subarctic regions.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
I wrote the initial script over ten years ago, and then partnered with the Gwich’in Tribal Council in 2009 to nuance the script because I wanted to set the film in and around Ft. McPherson, which is a Gwich’in community. We shot on traditional Gwich’in land. The Gwich’in peoples traditional territory spans from Alaska (where the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is located), through Canada’s Yukon and the Northwest Territories. The story evolved to become more nuanced to place and specific to the Gwich’in people and territory.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Audiences have really embraced the film. It is the first film from the Northwest Territories – so the landscape is new even for Canadian audiences. The film has been showcased at many film festivals where the audiences are seniors and baby-boomers and has sold out due to word of mouth. Audiences love the dynamic and the chemistry between the two leads, Devery Jacobs and Duane Howard, who are just excellent. Devery won the Borsos Award (Canada) for best overall performance (male or female) in a Canadian Feature Film. Devery and Duane play “Lia” and “Alfred” and for most of the film it is just the two of them on the land. It is to their credit that audiences love the film.
The Sun At Midnight is the first film to have Gwich’in characters, land and values featured in a movie and Indigenous audiences and fans of Indigenous cinema have also heavily embraced the film. We are also proud that the film has been invited to screen at youth festivals nationally and internationally. A youth jury just recently voted The Sun At Midnight as their favorite film at the Freeze Frame International Kids Festival. We are so proud to be part of BFF2017 and have the great fortune in the months ahead of also being invited to festivals in Beijing, Europe and Oceania.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
We had a challenging shoot. Our lead actor Duane Howard, had just finished work on The Revenant, which received a lot of publicity for their grueling outdoor shoot. Ours felt similar. As the first feature film from our part of the world, we were also the first feature film crew – so very green. Inexperience, paired with a low budget (200K USD), and a majority outdoor shooting schedule, that took us from warm sunshine, to snow storms and whiteout conditions, made for a hectic production period. At the end of the shoot we didn’t know if we had enough footage. But, we did!
Transitioning from a place of dread into the edit suite and on to our opening night, where we received a standing ovation, was a total surprise – but, definitely the best kind! It is so rewarding to receive positive feedback from national and international audiences of diverse backgrounds and ages. Perhaps, I could say that I am surprised at what an emotional journey it has been for me personally.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I would love for more audiences to find the film… and enjoy traveling to the Northern part of the world. Pianist Glenn Gould wrote of the North, that it is a place many people spin tall tales about, but never visit! And famed author Joseph Campbell, known for his writing about the Hero’s Journey, wrote that most heroes traveled east and west… but, few dared to go North… to the unknown. As I shared earlier, I think the North has its own sense of science fiction – the rules of the world are different here… I encourage everyone to come and see and know the North for themselves… perhaps the first step is through this film!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We are just starting to screen the film internationally, but I would love to have more participation from the US. I am really proud of the fact that our entire cast is majority Indigenous (Native), and that our lead character is a young woman whose physical adventure is the catalyst for self-discovery and greater self-love. The US is the biggest global market and I would love for The Sun At Midnight, with its messages, characters and story to be seen so as to broaden, and be included, in popular culture.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
At the end of the day, I want people to feel better for having seen the film. In terms of impact, I want the story to reaffirm the importance of the individual’s search for meaning and the ways in which the natural world supports mental well-being. Sometimes we over-think our lives and get caught up. I think it feels good to watch a movie that takes its time and reminds us that simplicity is also an option. Because the film is set in the Northwest Territories, I also want the impact to include an expanse of world-view and for the North to be thought about more personally when it comes to political issues related to environmental stewardship (protection for animals, land and water) and enhanced recognition and respect for cultural diversity.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Why pink hair?
How did we find the cast?
Talk about the relationship between you and the Gwich’in Tribal Council?
How did you make this film for 200K?
Describe filming conditions at the Arctic Circle.
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Writer, Director, Producer Kirsten Carthew – developing science fiction thriller (feature) and science fiction and thriller TV projects.
ProducerAmos Scott – developing documentary about the caribou. Also, just launched second season of documentary TV show Dene A Journey
Interview: March 2017
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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The Sun At Midnight
Set at the Arctic Circle, The Sun At Midnight tells the story of an unexpected friendship between a hunter obsessed with finding a missing caribou herd and a teenage rebel who gets lost while on the run.
Length: 93 minutes
Director: Kirsten Carthew
Producer: Kirsten Carthew, Amos Scott
Writer: Kirsten Carthew
Kirsten Carthew - The Sun At Midnight marks Kirsten’s directorial debut. She is a former journalist and has worked as a content creator in Europe, the Middle East, Canada and the USA.
Amos Scott is the creator, producer and director of DENE A JOURNEY on APTN. Amos started his career in journalism working for CKLB, CBC North and APTN National News.
Key cast:
Devery Jacobs (Lia)
Duane Howard (Alfred)
Mark Anderako (Robin)
Sarah Charlie-Jerome (Grannie)
William Greenland (Danny)
Shayla Snowshoe
Jaclynn Roberts
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):
Always looking for buyers and Film Festival Directors and Journalists!
Social media: http://thesunatmidnightmovie.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesunatmidnightmovie
Twitter: @MidnightSunMov
also: @KirstenCarthew @AdzeStudios @ @kdeveryjacobs, @DuaneE_Howard
Instagram: n/a
Made in association with: Gwich’in Tribal Council, Telefilm Canada
Where can I see it in the next month? Beijing International Film Festival, Bentonville Film Festival