imagineNative Film and Media Arts Festival to premiere Cheechoo film
PRESS RELEASE - A story of a young man's journey "home" and a spiritual quest for discovery.
Internationally Award Winning Film Maker Shirley Cheechoo premieres JOHNNY TOOTALL starring Adam Beach at imagineNative Film and Media Arts Festival.
Recognized internationally as the first Aboriginal person to write, direct, act and producer a dramatic, narrative feature, Shirley Cheechoo chose imagineNative as the Canadian premiere of her second film, JOHNNY TOOTALL. The cast is lead by Adam Beach and Sheila Tousey (Silent Tongue) and introduces newcomer Randi Knighton and rising stars, Nathaniel Arcand and Alex Rice.
"The growth of this festival since it's inception is phenomenal and I wanted JOHNNY TOOTALL to premiere at our own Aboriginal festival before screening it abroad." says Cheechoo, " This festival has an international reach and makes an important contribution giving us a wonderful arena for our voices to be heard."
JOHNNY TOOTALL is the opening night film at imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival 2005 in Toronto. Opening night screening is at 7pm, October 19th at the Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor St. West.
JOHNNY TOOTALL SYNOPSIS
JOHNNY TOOTALL is a film about re-birth, recovery and a metaphor for truth. It is the story of a young man's journey "home" and a spiritual quest for discovery of not only his true self but also a right of passage to re-claiming his own power.
Discharged from Bosnian war, Johnny carries the weight this war on his shoulders. He left the war with a dark and frightening secret, the murder of a young Bosnian boy that haunts him. But Johnny carries many demons. The death of his father, running from his destiny as Chief of the Band and abandoning the love of his life, Johnny must return home, the wolf spirit has called. Upon his return, he finds a new war. His estranged brother is leading his people in a revolt to save their sacred land. Johnny faces a dilemma; does he fight to save is people, or does he save himself. His journey will guide him to realizing that they are the same. In a blink, his world changes and in death, his brother guides him on a spirit walk to meet his destiny as leader of his people.
Directed by filmmaker Shirley Cheechoo, co-written by Andrew Genaille and Shirley Cheechoo, produced by Danielle Prohom Olson, JOHNNY TOOTALL was developed through CHUM's New VI Drama Initiative with Brightlight Pictures executive producing.
Starring Canadian actors, Adam Beach, ("Wind Talkers", "Smoke Signals"), Nathaniel Arcand ("Ginger Snaps 3", 'Black Cloud" and TV series "North of 60" and Alex Rice ("On The Corner" and "Thunderbird"). JOHNNY TOOTALL also stars American actor Sheila Tousey ("©~Law and Order©~ "Ravenous"). The film introduces a local island girl Randi Knighton, discovered during an open casting call in Nanaimo.
Info: imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival : 416-585-2333 and Shirley Cheechoo can be reached at 705.377.4141