Cloudburst (2011 film)
Encyclopedia
Cloudburst is a film by Canadian
writer and director Thom Fitzgerald
, which premiered at the Atlantic Film Festival
in Halifax, Nova Scotia
on September 16, 2011. The film is an adaptation of Fitzgerald's 2010 play of the same name.
The film stars Olympia Dukakis
and Brenda Fricker
as Stella and Dotty, a lesbian
couple from Maine
who embark on a Thelma and Louise
-style road trip to Nova Scotia to get married after Dotty is moved into a nursing home by her daughter. The film's cast also includes Kristin Booth, Ryan Doucette, John Dunsworth
and Jeremy Akerman
.
) Outstanding Lead Actress (Deborah Allen), Outstanding Supporting Actor (Ryan Doucette), Outstanding Set Design (Thom Fitzgerald
). Fitzgerald won the Merritt Award for Outstanding New Play.
, but as she passed away while he was writing it he cast Fricker instead. In press for the film, Fricker praised the screenplay, "“I was so moved by it. The love story was so beautiful I couldn’t say no to it.” Three members of the original stage cast reprised their roles: Ryan Doucette, Marlane O'Brien, and Michael McPhee.
, where it won an Atlantic Canada Award for Best Screenplay and the People's Choice Audience Award for Best Film of the Festival. Its second festival appearance was October 20, 2011 at Cinéfest
Sudbury International Film Festival, where it also won the Audience Choice Award for Best Film, and on October 23, 2011 the film was the opening night selection of the Edmonton International Film Festival
where it won the Audience Award for Best Canadian Film.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
writer and director Thom Fitzgerald
Thom Fitzgerald
Thomas "Thom" Fitzgerald is an award winning American-Canadian film director as well live theater director.-Life:Fitzgerald was born and raised in New Rochelle, New York. His parents divorced when he was five years old. He moved with his mother and brother, Timothy Jr., to Bergenfield, New Jersey,...
, which premiered at the Atlantic Film Festival
Atlantic Film Festival
The Atlantic Film Festival is an international film festival held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.Held annually, the ten-day celebration of film and video from Atlantic Canada and around the world is committed to screening an inspiring and engaging collection of films and videos from Canada and the...
in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
on September 16, 2011. The film is an adaptation of Fitzgerald's 2010 play of the same name.
The film stars Olympia Dukakis
Olympia Dukakis
Olympia Dukakis is an American actress. In 1987, she won an Academy Award, BAFTA, and a Golden Globe for her performance in Moonstruck...
and Brenda Fricker
Brenda Fricker
Brenda Fricker is an Irish actress of theatre, film and television. She had appeared in more than 30 films and television roles...
as Stella and Dotty, a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
couple from Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
who embark on a Thelma and Louise
Thelma and Louise
Thelma & Louise is a 1991 film co-produced and directed by Ridley Scott and written by Callie Khouri, the film's plot revolves around Thelma and Louise's escape from their troubled and caged lives. It stars Geena Davis as Thelma and Susan Sarandon as Louise, and co-stars Harvey Keitel as a...
-style road trip to Nova Scotia to get married after Dotty is moved into a nursing home by her daughter. The film's cast also includes Kristin Booth, Ryan Doucette, John Dunsworth
John Dunsworth
John Dunsworth is a Canadian actor known for playing the frequently drunk trailer park supervisor Jim Lahey on the hit TV show Trailer Park Boys. He has also appeared in Shattered City: The Halifax Explosion, a CBC film about the 1917 Halifax explosion...
and Jeremy Akerman
Jeremy Akerman
Jeremy Bernard Akerman is a former Canadian politician, writer and actor and a former leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party.-Biography:...
.
Stage play
Cloudburst debuted as a stage play on April 8, 2010 at Plutonium Playhouse in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The play starred Carroll Godsman, Deborah Allen, Ryan Doucette, Marlane O'Brien, Michael McPhee and Amy Reitsma. The successful engagement ran for five weeks and closed on May 8, 2010. The production was nominated for several Merritt Awards, Nova Scotia's professional theatre awards, including nominations for Outstanding Production, Outstanding New Play (Thom FitzgeraldThom Fitzgerald
Thomas "Thom" Fitzgerald is an award winning American-Canadian film director as well live theater director.-Life:Fitzgerald was born and raised in New Rochelle, New York. His parents divorced when he was five years old. He moved with his mother and brother, Timothy Jr., to Bergenfield, New Jersey,...
) Outstanding Lead Actress (Deborah Allen), Outstanding Supporting Actor (Ryan Doucette), Outstanding Set Design (Thom Fitzgerald
Thom Fitzgerald
Thomas "Thom" Fitzgerald is an award winning American-Canadian film director as well live theater director.-Life:Fitzgerald was born and raised in New Rochelle, New York. His parents divorced when he was five years old. He moved with his mother and brother, Timothy Jr., to Bergenfield, New Jersey,...
). Fitzgerald won the Merritt Award for Outstanding New Play.
Film
Fitzgerald adapted his own stage play for the screen. The film version was produced by Doug Pettigrew and Fitzgerald, and executive produced by Sidney Kimmel, Vicki McCarty, William Jarblum, Trudy Pettigrew, Dana Warren and Shandi Mitchell. Fitzgerald had originally planned for the role of Dotty to be played by Joan OrensteinJoan Orenstein
Joan Orenstein was a British-born Canadian actress, primarily on stage, although she performed in other media...
, but as she passed away while he was writing it he cast Fricker instead. In press for the film, Fricker praised the screenplay, "“I was so moved by it. The love story was so beautiful I couldn’t say no to it.” Three members of the original stage cast reprised their roles: Ryan Doucette, Marlane O'Brien, and Michael McPhee.
Reception
The film debuted to an enthusiastic standing ovation on September 16, 2011 at the Atlantic Film FestivalAtlantic Film Festival
The Atlantic Film Festival is an international film festival held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.Held annually, the ten-day celebration of film and video from Atlantic Canada and around the world is committed to screening an inspiring and engaging collection of films and videos from Canada and the...
, where it won an Atlantic Canada Award for Best Screenplay and the People's Choice Audience Award for Best Film of the Festival. Its second festival appearance was October 20, 2011 at Cinéfest
Cinéfest
Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival, also known as Cinéfest is an annual film festival in Sudbury, Ontario. It is the fourth largest film festival in Canada....
Sudbury International Film Festival, where it also won the Audience Choice Award for Best Film, and on October 23, 2011 the film was the opening night selection of the Edmonton International Film Festival
Edmonton International Film Festival
The Edmonton International Film Festival is a nine-day film festival in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, hosted at Empire Theatres at Edmonton City Centre....
where it won the Audience Award for Best Canadian Film.
Awards
- Atlantic Film FestivalAtlantic Film FestivalThe Atlantic Film Festival is an international film festival held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.Held annually, the ten-day celebration of film and video from Atlantic Canada and around the world is committed to screening an inspiring and engaging collection of films and videos from Canada and the...
People's Choice Audience Award for Best Film of the Festival - Atlantic Film FestivalAtlantic Film FestivalThe Atlantic Film Festival is an international film festival held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.Held annually, the ten-day celebration of film and video from Atlantic Canada and around the world is committed to screening an inspiring and engaging collection of films and videos from Canada and the...
Michael Weir Atlantic Canada Award for Best Screenplay, Thom FitzgeraldThom FitzgeraldThomas "Thom" Fitzgerald is an award winning American-Canadian film director as well live theater director.-Life:Fitzgerald was born and raised in New Rochelle, New York. His parents divorced when he was five years old. He moved with his mother and brother, Timothy Jr., to Bergenfield, New Jersey,... - CinefestCinéfestCinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival, also known as Cinéfest is an annual film festival in Sudbury, Ontario. It is the fourth largest film festival in Canada....
Sudbury International Film Festival Audience Choice Award for Best Film of the Festival - Edmonton International Film FestivalEdmonton International Film FestivalThe Edmonton International Film Festival is a nine-day film festival in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, hosted at Empire Theatres at Edmonton City Centre....
Audience Award for Best Canadian Indie Film - Vancouver International Film FestivalVancouver International Film FestivalThe Vancouver International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for two weeks in late September and early October...
Top Ten Most Popular Canadian Film Award - Image+Nation Montreal GLBT Film Festival Best Feature Film Award