Maudie Release Plan

A Sony Pictures Classics Release

Maudie

About

SYNOPSIS

MAUDIE, is based on the true story of folk artist Maud Lewis (Sally Hawkins) and the unlikely romance between Maud and a hardened reclusive bachelor, Everett Lewis (Ethan Hawke).

Maud, a bright-eyed, intelligent woman, hunched with crippled hands from arthritis, yearns to be independent and to live away from her overly protective family. She escapes her solitary existence in her aunt's home through her art, dreaming away the days, until in her early 30s she finds, and answers, an advertisement for a housekeeper.

Everett Lewis is a 40 year old bachelor who owes nothing to anyone. Tall, skinny and shabby, abandoned by his parents at a very young age, he has nevertheless managed to become a proud and self-sufficient man, largely by collecting scraps and peddling fish. He lives in a 10x12 foot house that has neither running water nor electricity, but at least it's all his. He is his own boss and has everything he needs, except maybe a woman to clean the house and cook his meals.

When Maud answers the ad, Everett hesitates at first. Seeing this strange looking woman - short, hunched over, with gnarled up hands and two huge bright brown eyes, he can't imagine she can handle the hard work. She is determined though and refuses to leave, so he hires her, but remains wary.

She talks too much, has too many opinions, is a terrible housekeeper and keeps talking marriage whenever he tries to have sex. She spends most of her time painting doodles on cardboard and the walls of his house. Everett realizes he hardly got what he bargained for. But over time, Everett starts to need Maud. When she isn't near him, his life is dull and grey. She understands him in a way that no one ever has and she loves being needed by him. Their bond grows deep and unspoken. She continues to paint. He begins to take over the housework. When they realize people will actually buy her cards and paintings, he supports and encourages her.

Maudie's determination for her art, along with her partnership with Everett, blossoms into a career as a famous folk artist, bringing them closer together in ways they never imagined.

MAUD LEWIS: HER LIFE AND ART

Maud Lewis exemplified the simple life. But simple doesn't mean dull. The simplicity of her paintings, brushed initially with scrounged paint from local fishermen onto ubiquitous green boards and post cards, continue to evoke feelings of innocence, of child-like exuberance as enduring as the spring times she loved to paint. And today she still captures audiences intrigued by everyday scenes as diverse as hard- working oxen and whimsical butterflies.

Maud Dowley Lewis was born March 7, 1903 in South Ohio, a community near Yarmouth. Her father Jack would provide a moderately prosperous living as a respected craftsman, making harnesses and serving as a blacksmith. Agnes, her mother, favored artistic pursuits including painting, folk carving and music. Born disfigured with sloped shoulders and her chin resting on her chest, Maud led a confined but happy home life after she quit school at 14, perhaps in part to escape the mocking of her peers. "What is life without love or friendship?" she once confided to a friend. Her mother lovingly taught her to play the piano before juvenile rheumatoid arthritis crippled her hands. Physical deformity may have been her lot, but even more tragic was the loss of both her parents within two years. Who would care for Maud? Thankfully, an aunt who lived in Digby took her in. There she would later answer a newspaper ad that would determine the course of her life. A man named Everett Lewis wanted a housekeeper for his cottage in Marshalltown. She married him in 1938 at the age of thirty-four and would never travel more than an hour's drive from her birthplace. "I ain't much for traveling anyway," she said later, "as long as I have a brush in my hand and a window in front of me, I'm all right." Cameo cigarettes added their share of comfort as well.

Although short in stature with hands gnarled by arthritis as the years passed, she stood tall when she plied her brush over green-backed particle board. Everett Lewis, a stingy, parsimonious but certainly hard- working man, kept house and made meals allowing Maud to spend most of her time delving into her world of wonder and creating fanciful works of art. Maud gathered images from her happy childhood and limited excursions in a Model T with Everett to paint cheerful images on dust pans, scallop shells and even on her house. They would settle into a routine where Everett enjoyed peddling and haggling over the paintings Maud would love to paint. The happiness she painted first attracted neighbors, then tourists and eventually even international attention. It started with a Star Weekly newspaper article and then a 1965 CBC Telescope program featuring her unique works. Her notoriety began to bloom like the cherry trees that garnished several of her paintings. Orders came in so fast that the paint hardly had time to dry--one reason you may notice fingerprints on some edges of her paintings.

Her style became as fanciful as her subjects. She painted a world often without shadows, autumn leaves on winter landscapes, and even 3- legged oxen. Was she adding humour in her subtle, shy way? Her gentle nature and magnetic smile might give that away. Awkwardly bent over a painting, she may have been squinting and intense, but her inner joy escaped onto her panels with unrivalled determination and vitality. Small wonder her work garnered the attention of even the Nixon White House. Ever pragmatic, Maud wrote to ask that funds be forwarded before she sent the requested two panels to the President!
Today her work unequivocally demands status as "important art" in numerous fine-art collections around the world.

Much like her American counterpart, Anna Marie Robertson (Grandma Moses), Maud was uniquely creative, self-taught, specialized in painting everyday rural life, loved animals and appreciated the beauty of nature. Both initially sold their paintings for just a few dollars, but saw their work increase dramatically over the years. The works of Grandma Moses command prices in the $30,000 to $600,000 range. Of comparable quality, Maud's paintings currently fetch $6,000 to$20,000, holding much promise for the future.

Not formally trained, Maud adopted a style that emerged from inside the heart of a true artist. As such, she could produce images of enduring quality and appeal, images that transformed her maritime surroundings into painted visions. The irresistible charm of her art had triumphed over the arrows of adversity.

Cast

Sally Hawkins

Sally Hawkins

Maudie

Sally Hawkins is one of the UK's most respected actresses. In 2014 Sally received an Oscar ‘Best Supporting Actress' nomination as well as nominations from AMPAS, BAFTA and the Golden Globes and won the Empire Award for her critically acclaimed performance in Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine.

Most recently Sally starred as ‘Mrs Brown' alongside a cast including Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Nicole Kidman and Julie Walters in Michael Bond's much-loved story Paddington.

Prior to this Sally lead X+Y which premiered at the London Film Festival to fantastic reviews, the film features a cast including Rafe Spall, Eddie Marsan and Asa Butterfield. She was seen in Gareth Edward's Godzilla with Aaron Taylor Johnson and Bryan Cranston. The film was a huge success taking over $500m in ticket sales. She starred with John Hawkes in How and Why, written and directed by Charlie Kaufman (Anomalisa and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and produced by FX.

Sally has recently finished filming the second series of the highly acclaimed The Hollow Crown. Sally will take on the role of ‘Eleanor, Duchess of Gloucester' opposite a stellar cast including Benedict Cumberbatch, Judi Dench and Michael Gambon. The trilogy of plays, Henry VI Parts 1 and 2 and Richard III, will receive their world premiere on BBC this Spring as part of the Shakespearean 400 year anniversary celebrations.

Sally gained international success for Mike Leigh's Happy Go Lucky, in which her lead role as the playful ‘Poppy' earned her a Golden Globe, as well as 12 other prestigious wins and nominations. In 2010, Sally's leading role of ‘Rita O'Grady' in director Nigel Cole's (Calendar Girls) Made In Dagenham also earned her a nomination in the category of ‘Best Actress' at the British Independent Film Awards with the film itself garnering four nominations for BAFTA awards, four nominations at the BIFA awards and a nomination at the London Critics' Circle Film Awards.

In 2011, Sally was involved in numerous critically acclaimed films; in ‘Never Let Me Go' she played the role of ‘Miss Lucy' alongside Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightley. She was also seen in Richard Ayoade's critically acclaimed debut film Submarine with Yasmin Paige, Craig Roberts and Paddy Considine as well as playing ‘Marylin' in Sherry Horman's Desert Flower.

Sally's repertoire of films additionally features even more impressive titles. She was featured in Gurinder Chadha's (Bend it like Beckham) comic-thriller It's a Wonderful Afterlife. In the same year, she starred in Happy Ever Afters, a comedy opposite Tom Riley. In 2008 she also had a role in the BAFTA-winning and Oscar nominated An Education alongside Carey Mulligan and starred in Love Birds directed by Paul Murphy. Her other past film credits include Woody Allen's Cassandra's Dream, Matthew Vaughan's Layer Cake, All or Nothing and the three- time Oscar nominated Vera Drake directed by Mike Leigh.

In the feature adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic Great Expectations directed by Mike Newell, Sally starred as ‘Mrs Joe where she was cast opposite Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter and Holliday Grainger. Sally also starred in the comedy Lucky Dog alongside Paul Giamatti and Paul Rudd.

Sally has also worked in many notable TV dramas. In 2006, she appeared as Anne Elliot in ITV's adaptation of Persuasion which won her the Golden Nymph Award for Best Actress at the Monte Carlo Television Festival as well as winning her a Royal Television Society Award. That same year she starred in BBC 2's Shiny Shiny Bright New Hole In My Heart. She also had a recurring role in three series' of the BBC's hit comedy Little Britain. In 2005 she was the lead in period crime piece Fingersmith, which was nominated for three BAFTAs. Her other television credits include Byron (BBC), Tipping the Velvet (BBC), 20,000 Streets Under The Sky (BBC) and Man to Man with Dean Learner (BBC).

Sally also has an extensive theatrical background. Most recently Sally was seen on stage in Constellations; Nick Payne's Olivier nominated production which transferred to the West End after premiering at The Royal Court. She has performed at the Theatre Royal York, in the role of Juliet, in Romeo and Juliet and has also performed in both Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night's Dream (playing leading roles; Hero and Hermia respectively) at the prestigious Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. She was also cast in The Wintering and Country Music at the Royal Court Theatre. She played Adelea in Howard Davies' production of House of Barnada Alba at the National Theatre. Sally completed her Broadway debut run in the Roundabout Theater's revival of Mrs. Warren's Profession starring alongside Cherry Jones.

Ethan Hawke

Ethan Hawke

Everett Lewis

"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may," is a phrase a young Ethan Hawke took to heart while filming DEAD POETS SOCIETY, the Academy Award-winning drama that launched his career as an actor. Thirty years and several Tony® and Oscar® nominations later, he has emerged a multifaceted artist, challenging himself as a novelist, screenwriter, and director.

Hawke recently wrapped production on BLAZE, a drama he co-wrote and directed about the life of country western musician Blaze Foley. The film is based on the memoir Living in the Woods in a Tree by Foley's life-long love Sybil Rosen, who served as co-writer with Hawke. BLAZE is being produced by Hawke and his wife Ryan for their Under The Influence banner, and reunites Hawke with BORN TO BE BLUE producer Jake Seal, and long-time collaborator John Sloss (BOYHOOD) from Cinetic Media. In addition to BLAZE, Hawke recently finished shooting Paul Schrader's thriller FIRST REFORMED, in which he plays the lead opposite Amanda Seyfried.

Upcoming, Hawke is set to star in Robert Budreau's STOCKHOLM opposite Noomi Rapace. The film is based on the true story of the 1973 bank heist and hostage crisis in Stockholm and is currently in production. Additionally, Hawke will star alongside Rose Byrne and Chris O'Dowd in the Judd Apatow produced romantic comedy JULIET, NAKED based on the best-selling novel of the same name. The film is slated to begin production in the summer of 2017 with Jesse Peretz directing.

In 2016 alone, Hawke starred in five films, most notably of which was Robert Budreau's BORN TO BE BLUE, for which he received rave reviews out of the Toronto Film Festival for his depiction of legendary jazz trumpeter Chet Baker, which was March 25, 2016. Hawke's film MAGGIE'S PLAN, a comedy in which he stars opposite Greta Gerwig and Julianne Moore, also premiered at last year's Toronto Film Festival, and was released by Sony Pictures Classics on May 20, 2016. Hawke also starred in THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, directed by Antoine Fuqua. The MGM remake of the iconic film also stars Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, and Peter Sarsgaard. The film made its world premiere at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival as the opening night film, and Sony released the film on September 23, 2016. Additionally, he was also seen in Noah Buschel's THE PHEMON, which was released in June 2016, and Ti West's IN A VALLEY OF VIOLENCE which premiered at the 2016 SXSW Film Festival, and opened nationwide on October 21, 2016.

Furthermore, Hawke's graphic novel, Indeh, with illustrator Greg Ruth, was published by Grand Central Publishing on June 7, 2016. Indeh captures the narrative of two nations at war who strive to find peace and forgiveness in a time of great upheaval. It debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List for Hardcover Graphic Novels.

Hawke made his documentary directorial debut with SEYMOUR: AN INTRODUCTION, which premiered at the 2014 Telluride Film Festival and later played internationally at the Toronto International Film Festival. The project follows the life of the legendary pianist and piano teacher Seymour Bernstein. The film was released on March 13, 2015.

Hawke has collaborated with filmmaker Richard Linklater on multiple occasions, including FAST FOOD NATION; WAKING LIFE; THE NEWTON BOYS and TAPE. Their most recent collaboration, BOYHOOD, premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was released on July 11, 2014. Hawke starred alongside Patricia Arquette and Ellar Coltrane in the critically acclaimed film that was shot intermittently over 12 years chronicling the life of a child from age 6-18. For his performance, Ethan received Academy Award, Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award, Golden Globe Award, BAFTA Award, Film Independent Spirit Award, Critics' Choice Film Award, and Gotham Independent Spirit Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor.

Marking another one of their celebrated projects, Hawke starred opposite Julie Delpy in the critically acclaimed film BEFORE SUNRISE and its two sequels BEFORE SUNSET and BEFORE MIDNIGHT. The trio co-wrote the screenplays for BEFORE SUNSET and BEFORE MIDNIGHT and received Academy Award and Independent Spirit Award nominations for both scripts. Hawke, Linklater and Delpy were honored with the Louis XIII Genius Award for achievement in cinematic works for the BEFORE films at the BFCA Critics Choice Awards.

Tapping into the pop culture zeitgeist with Ben Stiller's 1994 comedy REALITY BITES, Hawke has starred in over fifty films, including; GOOD KILL; PREDESTINATION; THE PURGE; EXPLORERS; WHITE FANG; GATTACA: GREAT EXPECTAIONS; HAMLET; WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU; BROOKLYN'S FINEST; SINISTER; and BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD. Hawke received Academy Award and Screen Actors Guild Supporting Actor nominations for his work in Antoine Fuqua's TRAINING DAY, opposite Denzel Washington.

Behind the lens, Hawke made his directorial debut in 2001 with his drama CHELSEA WALLS. The film tells five stories set in a single day at the Chelsea Hotel and stars Uma Thurman, Kris Kristofferson, Rosario Dawson, Natasha Richardson, and Steve Zahn. Additionally, he directed Josh Hamilton in the short film STRAIGHT TO ONE, a story of a couple, young and in love, living in the Chelsea Hotel.

In late 2015, Hawke released his first children's book Rules for a Knight through Knopf, which features illustrations by his wife, Ryan Hawke. Rules for a Knight, a New York Times best-seller, is framed as a long-lost document, recently found and republished by Hawke, a distant relative of the knight, Sir Thomas Lemuel Hawke. In addition to his work as a novelist, in April 2009, Hawke wrote an in-depth and celebrated profile of icon Kris Kristofferson for Rolling Stone. In 2002, his second novel, Ash Wednesday, was published by Knopf and was chosen for Bloomsbury's contemporary classics series. In 1996, Hawke wrote his first novel, The Hottest State, published by Little Brown and now in its nineteenth printing. In his sophomore directorial endeavor, Hawke adapted for the screen and directed the on-screen version of THE HOTTEST STATE and also directed a music video for the film, featuring Lisa Loeb.

At the age of twenty-one, Hawke founded the Malaparte Theater Co., which remained open for more than five years giving young artists a home to develop their craft. The next year, in 1992, Hawke made his Broadway debut in The Seagull. Additionally, he has appeared in Henry IV alongside Richard Easton on Broadway; Buried Child (Steppenwolf); Hurlyburly, for which he earned a Lucille Lortel Award Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor and Drama League Award Nomination for Distinguished Performance (The New Group); Tom Stoppard's The Coast of Utopia, for which he was honored with a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play and Drama League Award nomination for Distinguished Performance (Lincoln Center); the inaugural season of The Bridge Project's double billings of The Cherry Orchard and A Winter's Tale, which garnered Hawke a Drama Desk Award Nomination for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play (Brooklyn Academy of Music and The Old Vic); and Blood From A Stone (The New Group) which earned him a 2011 Obie Award for Performance. In 2007, Hawke made his Off-Broadway directing debut with the world premiere of Jonathan Marc Sherman's dark comedy, Things We Want. In 2010, Hawke directed Sam Shepard's A Lie of the Mind, for which he received a Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Director of a Play as well as recognition in the New York Times and The New Yorker top ten lists of the leading theatre productions in 2010. In 2012, he starred in Chekov's Ivanov for the Classic Stage Company. In 2013, he directed and starred in Clive, a stage adaptation of Bertolt Brecht's Baal, by Jonathan Marc Sherman (The New Group), and completed a successful run of Lincoln Center Theatre's production of Macbeth in the title role.

Hawke resides in New York and is married with four children.

Kari Matchett

Kari Matchett

Sandra

Having portrayed a wide variety of characters, Kari Matchett has carved out a distinctive place in Hollywood. She is perhaps best known for starring alongside Piper Perabo for five seasons of USA's hit series, COVERT AFFAIRS.

Kari's career began in Canada. She trained and graduated from The National Theatre School in Montreal, and soon after worked in the Theatre for a few years, including the prestigious Stratford Festival, she was nominated and won numerous awards for her work in Canadian film and television. Some of her work includes POWER PLAY, MEN WITH BROOMS, NERO WOLFE, BETRAYED, and PLAGUE CITY: SARS IN TORONTO.

In the US, after her breakout role in the sci-fi drama INVASION, Matchett had a starring role on the hit FOX series 24. She went on to recur on NBC's STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, alongside Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford, and then starred opposite Treat Williams in HEARTLAND. Matchett also had a recurring role on the long-running drama ER, as well as an arc on LEVERAGE that spanned over four years. Matchett appeared in CRASH, the drama series based on the critically acclaimed movie of the same name, where she portrayed Jules, the CEO of a music company and daughter to Dennis Hopper's character.

Her other TV credits include ELEMENTARY, CRIMINAL MINDS, THE CLEANER, UGLY BETTY, THE PHILANTHROPIST, and SHARK. She was also previously seen in THE NATIONAL TREE with Andrew McCarthy and LEAD WITH YOUR HEART opposite Billy Baldwin both for The Hallmark Channel.

She will next be seen in the indie feature MAUDIE co-starring alongside Ethan Hawke and Sally Hawkins.

A native of Spalding Saskatchewan, Canada, Kari now resides in Los Angeles with her son.

Gabrielle Rose

Gabrielle Rose

Aunt Ida

Gabrielle is one of Canada's critically acclaimed, Film, Stage and Television actresses with a career spanning over 150 projects.

She has worked repeatedly with some of Canada's most notable directors including Atom Egoyan (The Adjuster, Where the Truth Lies, Family Viewing, Speaking Parts and the two- time Oscar Nominated film The Sweet Hereafter), Bruce Sweeney (Excited, Dick Knost and The Crimes of Mike Recket) and Carl Bessai (Sisters & Brothers, Repeaters, Mothers and Daughter and Normal).

Gabrielle's awards include five Leo Awards, two Atlantic Film Festival Awards, National Board of Review (NY) and she has been nominated five times over for a Gemini and four times a Genie and is the recipient of The Sam Payne Lifetime Achievement Award and the ACTRA/UBCP Lifetime Achievement Award.

Zachary Bennett

Zachary Bennett

Charles Dowley

A multi-award nominated actor for over thirty years, Zachary Bennett has become a household name in Canadian film, television, and theatre. He released three albums with his band, Tin Star Orphans, and has written a numerous short films and feature length screenplays. His first feature film, REUN!ON, is slated to begin production this year with Zachary as writer, co-director and co-star.

Zachary lives in Hamilton, Ontario with his wife Meaghan and their dog Charlie

Greg Malone

Greg Malone

Mr. Hill

Greg Malone is perhaps best known for his wicked impersonations of political icons like George Bush, Pierre Trudeau, the Queen, and of course, Barbara Frum, for which he has received many awards. In recent years he has acted and directed Shakespeare at Perchance Theatre in Cupids. In 2015 Greg played Donald Rumsfeld in the international hit show Stuff Happens at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. His 2015 film appearances include How to be Deadly, Away From Everywhere and Maudie.

In 2015 Greg was honored with ACTRA's Award of Excellence.

Billy Maclellan

Billy Maclellan

Frank

Billy is an actor from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and splits his time between Los Angeles and Toronto. He is a Gemini Award nominee, multiple ACTRA Award nominee and ACTRA Award winner. His latest project is Take The Shot’s production of Caught for the CBC, playing Sergeant Kyle O’Neill, also starring Allan Hawco and Paul Gross. Selected film & television credits include: Bellevue (CBC), Ice Blue (Iylond Entertainment), Wynonna Earp, The Expanse, Defiance, Dark Matter (Syfy), Remedy (Global), Nikita (The CW), Played (CTV), Lost Girl (Showcase), Covert Affairs (USA Network), Saving Hope (NBC/CTV), Bomb Girls (Global), Flashpoint (CBS/CTV), Murdoch Mysteries, The Republic of Doyle, Heartland & Afghanada (CBC) & Rookie Blue (ABC).

Billy is a graduate of The National Theatre School of Canada.

Filmmakers

Aisling Walsh

Aisling Walsh

Director

Aisling is a graduate of The National Film and Television School. Beaconsfield. England and Dun Laoghaire Schol of Art in Dublin.

Aisling has written and directed feature and television films as well as directing a number of highly acclaimed television serials. She has won over 25 international film and television awards.

Her film credits include the Sundance Film Festival premiered and multi award winning - Song for a Raggy Boy - starring Aidan Quinn and Iain Glen, which she wrote and directed. The award winning Joyriders for which she won the Irish Tribune Arts Award. The Daisy Chain - starring Samantha Morton and Invisible State – Ireland's segment for the European Film Omnibus in 2004. Her television film credits include – Damage – which she wrote and directed and which was nominated for the Prix Europa in 2007. Loving Miss Hatto with Alfred Molina and Rory Kinnear, which she directed for BBC1 in 2012. Room at the Top with Michael McNulty and Maxine Peake, which she directed for BBC4. Fingersmith – which was nominated for both BAFTA and Royal Television Society Awards in 2005. The multi international award winning 2002 television film – Sinners – starring Anne-Marie Duff. Trial and Retribution 1 and Trial and Retribution 2 and Doctor Finlay for which she won a BAFTA Scotland Award in 1992. In 2009 Aisling was nominated for a BAFTA Scotland Award for - The Tears Welled – part of the Eadar Cluitch Series for BBC Alba in Scotland. She was nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2011 for her direction on Wallander starring Kenneth Branagh. Branagh won his first BAFTA for his role as the moody Kurt Wallander the same year. Aisling won a BAFTA Award in 2013 – Best Mini Series – Room at the Top and was nominated for an RTS Award the same year for Room at the Top. In 2014 she directed the single drama A POET IN NEW YORK for BBC 2 about the later life of Dylan Thomas which starred Tom Hollander and which was nominated for a BAFTA and Welsh BAFTA for Best Single Drama. In 2015 she directed AN INSPECTOR CALLS for Drama Republic/BBC 1 starring David Thewlis, Ken Stott and Miranda Richardson for which she has just been nominated for a BAFTA for Best Director.

Sherry White

Writer

Sherry is a screenwriter and filmmaker based in Canada. She has written and performed on numerous comedy series such as 18 to Life, Hatching Matching and Dispatching, and Sophie, as well as drama series such as MVP: the Secret Lives of Hockey Wives, and Saving Hope. She is currently supervising producer and writer on her fifth season of ABC/Global's soapy cop drama Rookie Blue.

Sherry has written and performed in the feature films Down to the Dirt (2008) and The Breadmaker (2003) and also wrote and directed the genie nominated feature film Crackie (2009), which screened at over thirty festivals worldwide, including Toronto International Film Festival, Karlovy Vary, and Torino Film Festival, where it took home the jury prize. It was also named one of the top ten films in Canada for 2010, and screened at the MOMA in New York City March 2010. Her award winning shorts Diamonds in a Bucket and Spoiled have also screened nationally and internationally. Sherry is represented by Harrison Artist Management in Canada, and by United Talent Agency in the US.

John Hand

Production Designer

Originally a student of sculpture at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin, John gradually got involved in film making with students at the National film and television school at Beaconsfield while living in London in the early 1990's. Design credits include award winning short films,' Of Best Intentions' and ‘Kid Kanturk'. Feature films include the award winning: ‘Song For A Raggy Boy'. And 'Watermelon', 'True North', and 'Eden' for Samson films. The Hammer horror film, ‘The Wake Wood' with Timothy Spall, Aidan Gillan and Eva Birthistle. The romantic comedy 'Happy Ever Afters', starring Sally Hawkins. Re shoot of sfx for ‘The Moth Diaries and the Irish portion of ‘Ek Tha Tiger'. A Bollywood action thriller, highest grossing Bollywood blockbuster with some of Bollywood's top talent. Also 'Stay' A Romantic Drama starring Aiden Quinn and Taylor Schilling. Television credits include ‘Damage' by Aisling Walsh, the pilot and first series of ‘Killinaskully' for Pat Shortt, and the acclaimed series ‘Pure Mule' from the pen of Eugene O'Brien. Also the six part series ‘Vexed' for BBC TV. ‘Moonfleet' a period drama set in 1750's Dorset for SKY TV, based on the classic novel of the same name, it stars Ray Winstone. Currently completed are two feature films. Cherrytree from Fantastic films and My Name is Emily premiered at Galway film festival 2015. He has designed many TV commercials, most recently for Voda phone, Charleville Cheese, and for Eircom. Credits for music videos include ‘The Cranberries', ‘Relish' and ‘Joe Dolan'

Guy Godfree, CSC

Director of Photography

Guy's feature film cinematography work includes WET BUM, directed by Lindsay Mackay, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival 2014, and also earned Guy a nomination for Best Theatrical Feature Cinematography from the Canadian Society of Cinematographer's. Other recent feature work includes NATASHA, directed by the award winning novelist David Bezmozgis, and LOVESONG directed by So Yong Kim, a film that had its world premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. Guy won two consecutive Canadian Society of Cinematographer Awards for his short narrative camera work on FROST in 2013 and THE ARCHIVIST in 2014. Other awards for his work include Best Cinematography at Canadian Film Festival (PATCH TOWN, 2014), Vancouver International Women in Film Festival (THE UNDERGROUND, 2015), Kodak's Emerging Filmmaker Award (REVELATIONS, 2010). An alum of the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, Guy is originally from the maritime province of Nova Scotia, Canada and currently splits his time between New York City and Toronto. He is an active accredited member of the Canadian Society of the Cinematographers.

Trysha Bakker

Costume Design

Award winning Trysha Bakker is one of Canada's most talented designers. Her credits include a variety of successful International productions. Recent projects include the FOX/A&E TV series "Damien" with Bradley James and Barbara Hershey and the feature film "Maudie" starring Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawke. Her work, brilliant in any genre, especially shines when designing Sci Fi and Period productions. Her undeniable palette and collaborative approach has resulted in fruitful, long lasting relationships with producers and broadcasters alike. This is her fourth collaboration with Producer Mary

Stephen O'Connell

Editor

Stephen O'Connell has spent over 20 years working across commercials, documentary but primarily drama in both Ireland and the UK. His documentary work includes the acclaimed Luke, The Pipe, and The House, as well as the award winning Miss Sarajevo for U2. Stephen's film credits include Sheridan's Borstal Boy, The Sea – based on John Banville's novel, Andy de Emmony's West Is West, Sundance and Telluride hit VIVA, and more recently Aisling Walsh's Maudie starring Ethan Hawke and Sally Hawkins. For BBC, he has edited many hit series such as Cutting It, A Thing Called Love and 55 Degrees North. Single films for BBC include Fantabulosa about the life and death of Kenneth Williams, Recovery starring David Tennant, the Julie Walters film Filth - The Mary Whitehouse Story and Frank Cottrell Boyce's Framed. In addition to Titanic Blood and Steel he also cut the opening two episodes of Camelot for Starz and the BBC's adaptation of Whistle and I'll Come to You starring John Hurt. In 2008 he won an Irish Film and Television Award for editing Stardust. Other credits include The Bletchley Circle with director Andy De Emmony, a thriller about female code breakers in the early fifties, Moonfleet starring Ray Winstone and Fortitude starring Stanley Tucci, Sofie Gråbøl and Michael Gambon for Sky Atlantic.

Michael Timmins

Composer

Michael Timmins has been producing music for over thirty years with his album productions selling over 2,000,000 copies worldwide. He has produced or co-produced over ten albums for Cowboy Junkies which includes their gold and platinum albums; The Caution Horses, Black Eyed Man, Pale Sun/Crescent Moon and Lay It Down. His production credits also include albums for several independent Canadian bands, including three albums for the band Lee Harvey Osmond, all three of which were long listed for the Polaris Prize and nominated for Juno Awards. He has also composed and produced six film scores, his most recent being the award winning "My Father and The Man In Black". In 2010 he produced an album for the Grammy nominated New Orleans singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier. One of his most recent production is The Kennedy Suite (another Polaris Prize nominee) which includes performances by over a dozen of Canada's top artists, including Sarah Harmer, Hawksley Workman, Jason Collett, Skydiggers, Marti Tielli

Mary Margaret O'Hara

Songwriter

"Dear Darling" Undisiplinary artist, Mary Margaret O'Hara is a graduate of The Ontario College of Art and Design who typecase herself with her 1988 album, Miss America. All over the creative map, if there is such a map, she loves drawing, painting, her original calligraphy, free improv, hosting her brother's events, making people laugh and cry, acting in and composing for theatre and film, doing wordless back up for singers and musicians, making noises on the fly, off the cuff, and out of the ballpark, composing for film and being with her brothers and sisters. You know who you are.

Bob Cooper

Producer

Bob Cooper is the Co-CEO of Storyscape Entertainment, a newly formed, multi-faceted film and television production company. Cooper began his entertainment career as host of the highly rated Sunday night CBC series OMBUDSMAN, which ran for 8 years, when he left the show to begin his producing career. He created HBO's first ever madefor- HBO movie, which was also the first ever made-for-cable movie: THE TERRY FOX STORY starring Robert Duvall and Eric Fryer. Cooper then produced the highly-acclaimed and award-winning film MURDERERS AMONG US: THE SIMON WIESENTHAL STORY starring Ben Kingsley. In 1988, Cooper became President of HBO Pictures where, over 8 years, he helped turn the nascent cable network into a major force. Movies on Cooper's slate during his tenure at HBO won Best Picture Emmy and Golden Globe Awards five years in a row, an unprecedented record. Cooper left HBO to become President of TriStar Pictures, where he oversaw the production of MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING, AS GOOD AS IT GETS, THE MASK OF ZORRO, STEPMOM and JERRY MAGUIRE. Cooper then became President of Production for DreamWorks, responsible for overseeing theatrical motion picture development and production of the studio's feature film slate, reporting to Steven Spielberg. His first picture for DreamWorks was AMERICAN BEAUTY, which won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and three Golden Globe Awards. His other films at DreamWorks included GALAXY QUEST and MEET THE PARENTS. Prior to Storyscape, Cooper headed Landscape Entertainment where his feature producing credits included THE ANGRIEST MAN IN BROOKLYN, JOHN TUCKER MUST DIE and MR. WOODCOCK. Presently, Cooper's company is producing content across all media. In the feature arena, he is developing THE WAR MAGICIAN at StudioCanal with Benedict Cumberbatch attached to star and produce; ENTERING HADES at Broad Green with Michael Fassbender attached to star and produce; FBI WEDDING at Universal with Jason Bateman starring and directing; STEALING TIME at DreamWorks with Colin Trevorrow; ANIMATED AMERICAN at Disney; and RFK at Endgame written by Steve Knight. Storyscape's television division presently has 9 ongoing and limited series in development at HBO, Fox, ABC, TNT and USA.

Mary Young Leckie

Producer

Mary Young Leckie is owner of Solo Films, and is co-owner and President of Screen Door, a Toronto-based production company. Mary's touch has been felt in the script rooms, edit rooms, casting sessions and on set of some of Canada's best known dramas, including the feature film Where The Spirit Lives and mini-series: The Arrow, Shattered City: The Halifax Explosion, and Everest! Acclaimed films for television include Tagged: The Jonathan Wamback Story; Burn: The Robert Wraight Story, Prom Queen, Spirit Bear, and CTV's Shades of Black -- based on the rise and fall of millionaire tycoon Conrad Black. Recent titles also include Lifetime Original Movies, Sworn to Silence starring Neve Campbell; directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal), An Officer and a Murderer; starring Gary Cole and Rossif Sutherland and Secrets of Eden starring John Stamos and Anna Gunn. Leckie is co-creator of the hour long drama series MVP: The Secret Lives of Hockey Wives, set in the fastpaced world of professional sport. MVP airs on CBC in Canada and ABC and Netflics in the US. Maudie marks her return to producing feature films. On the slate for 2017 is ARMSTRONG'S WAR written by Colleen Murphy and CANDYMAN by Maudie screenwriter Sherry White. Leckie's first Live Stage Musical PROM QUEEN will have its world premiere in Montreal in the fall of 2016. Leckie has served two terms as Director of the Board of the Canadian Film and Television Producers Association.

Mary Sexton

Producer

Mary Sexton is an award winning producer and director with over twenty years of experience in the Canadian film industry. Since co-founding Rink Rat Productions in 1994, Sexton has become one of the leading producers of television and film in Newfoundland & Labrador. In 2002 Mary earned her first Gemini Award for her directorial debut "Tommy: A Family Portrait". Mary also served as regional producer on the hit CTV elimination reality contest "Canadian Idol" for six seasons. In 2015 Mary produced "How to be Deadly", which went on to win best feature film at the Canadian Comedy Awards that year. In 2015 Mary co- produced the feature film "Maudie". Scheduled for release in 2016, "Maudie" stars Ethan Hawke and Sally Hawkins. Mary is currently co-producing "Cold Water Cowboys Season 4", airing on Discovery in spring 2017. Mary is also developing two projects with her long-time colleague Rosemary House: 'Portuguese Boy', a feature film, and 'Auntie Vigilantes', a comedy television series as well as another feature film, 'Skeet', with her son, Nik Sexton. Mary Sexton is a Board Member of the Canadian Media Producers Association.

Susan Mullen

Producer

Susan Mullen joined Parallel in 1996 and since that time has worked on the wide-ranging Parallel slate of feature films, television series and mini-series. Susan was Co-Producer on the feature films TRIAGE (director Danis Tanovic, starring Colin Farrell, Paz Vega, Christopher Lee), PERRIER'S BOUNTY (director Ian FitzGibbon, starring Cillian Murphy, Jim Broadbent) and THE ESCAPIST (director Rupert Wyatt, starring Brian Cox, Damian Lewis, Dominic Cooper) and the feature documentary JOE STRUMMER: THE FUTURE IS UNWRITTEN 15 (director Julien Temple) as well as TV mini-series' TREASURE ISLAND (director Steve Barron) and NEVERLAND (director Nick Willing). Susan was Associate Producer on the features INTERMISSION (director John Crowley, starring Cillian Murphy, Colin Farrell), BREAKFAST ON PLUTO (director Neil Jordan, starring Cillian Murphy, Liam Neeson), BYZANTIUM (director Neil Jordan, starring Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Arterton) and the Oscar-nominated ALBERT NOBBS (director Rodrigo Garcia, starring Glenn Close, Mia Wasikowska). In 2007, together with Alan Moloney, Susan produced the feature A FILM WITH ME IN IT, (directed by Ian FitzGibbon, starring Dylan Moran); and in 2010 she produced the TV movie THE SANTA INCIDENT. Susan has also produced a number of short films and in 2003 produced the highly-rated television documentary miniseries on organized crime in Ireland, UNDERWORLD, for RTE. Since 2012 Susan has been engaged in a number of Canadian-Irish co-productions across both feature films and TV series. In 2014 Susan was co-producer on the Oscar-nominated feature BROOKLYN, directed by John Crowley and starring Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen and Domhnall Gleeson. Susan is currently producing another Irish- Canadian feature film entitled MAUDIE, starring Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawke, which shot in Newfoundland in autumn 2015 with post- production taking place in Dublin.

Heather Haldane

Executive Producer

In 1999, producer Heather Haldane joined forced with Mary Young Leckie to found Screen Door - an independent Canadian production company focusing on high quality films with a solid creative base. Awardwinning dramatic films, event mini-series and series range from WHERE THE SPIRIT LIVES (Gemini award for Best TV Movie) to SPIRIT BEAR (Audience Choice Award, TIFF Sprockets Film Festival) and EVEREST, an event mini- series starring William Shatner, Leslie Hope and Jason Priestley. Other Screen Door productions have garnered numerous Gemini awards, screen nominations and International film festival awards. Outside of Screen Door, Haldane's newest independent venture is to develop and produce high-end dramatic series for the International marketplace, and help finance International feature film projects. Her next film is READING IN THE DARK, based on a well-known Irish novel to be directed by award winning Tom Collins, an Ireland-Canada feature with Parallel Films slated for Spring 2017.

Alan Moloney

Exectuive Producer

Dublin born Alan Moloney is a film and television producer. He established the award- winning Parallel Film Productions in Dublin in 1993. The company is now a market leader in feature film and television drama. His productions have received multiple nominations and awards including for the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, The Peabody Awards, The British Independent Film Awards, US National Board of Review, US Critics' awards, the BAFTA's, the Royal Television society, Shanghai Film festival, British Independent Film Awards, the Celtic Film festival and IFTA's. His productions have screened in all of the major film festivals including New York, London, Toronto, The American Film Institute in Los Angeles, Cannes, Venice and Sundance amongst many others. He is a member of BAFTA, the European Film Academy and the Irish Film and Television Academy.

Johanna Hogan

Executive Producer

Johanna joined Parallel in 2011 as Head of Legal and Business Affairs becoming Managing Director in 2012. Before joining Parallel, Johanna spent ten years in the Entertainment Law Department of Matheson, one of Ireland's leading law firms where she advised producers on all aspects of film and television production for both local transmission in Ireland and cable television in the US, as well as feature films for international distribution. Johanna also advised productions on utilizing the tax incentives for film and television production available in Ireland and the UK alongside international incentives. Johanna has taken on an Executive Producer role on Parallel productions JADOTVILLE, THE STRYPES: A LONG WAY FROM CAVAN, DAMO & IVOR, MAUDIE and A STORM IN THE STARS.

Reviews

TODD MCCARTHY

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

"Captivating! Sally Hawkins' performance splendidly carries the day."


THELMA ADAMS

NEW YORK OBSERVER

"Richly layered, deeply felt. From the creative genius of Aisling Walsh. Ethan Hawke as we've rarely seen him."


RANDI PECK

INTERVIEW

"Astounding. Ethan Hawke gives one of the finest performances of his career."


CLAUDIA PUIG

THE WRAP

"Boasts a powerful, Oscar®-worthy performance by Sally Hawkins."


REX REED

NEW YORK OBSERVER

"Sally Hawkins is perfection."