Northern Ontario indie film gets distribution deal

NEWS RELEASE
KHARISMA PICTURES
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It is said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. So it was with The Road to Tophet - a feature film that drops on iTunes and VOD on Tuesday, Feb. 26.

Writer/director Steve Schmidt and actor/producer Axel Green had always dreamed of shooting a film set in their home town of Chapleau in northern Ontario. Both were in Vancouver working in the film industry, making short films in their spare time.

Says Green, “We wanted to make a true northern feature, set in winter - with snow and snowmobiles.” 

Adds Schmidt, “We were also committed to making a film that embraced the distinct culture of our home town: the  intersection of Francophone, Anglophone and First Nations culture,” 

The story: a young man, Charlie, smuggling drugs over the American border, wants out of the business but is trapped by his boss’s machinations.

With a ‘calling card’ short film in hand they returned to their home town to secure funding from friends and family. Impressed with the quality of the short, Chapleau Cree First Nation came on board with financial support. Through the band they met Brian Edwards who became a producer, actor and writer. Looking to cast the stars of tomorrow, the filmmakers found them in Samuel Thivierge (la fille du Martin, Identity, Wolf Warrior), Alika Autran (Altered Carbon), Matt Connors (Bad Blood) and fellow Chapleauite Steve Gagne (Star Trek Discovery, Dark Matter, The Handmaid’s Tale). Jeremy Beal, another Chapleauite, co-wrote the screenplay.

A few days into their shoot in early March, temperatures spiked and the snow began to disappear. 

“Our dream of a winter movie was melting before my eyes,” says Schmidt. The script was re-written daily to reflect the changing weather – snowmobiles were replaced with ATVs and then motorcycles.

“Actually, it was a blessing in disguise,” says Green, “and added to the story in an unexpected way.”

The challenges didn’t stop there. With filming complete, they had to raise more money to complete post production. Sudbury producer David Anselmo of Hideaway Pictures stepped in, securing a deal with Technicolor Toronto to complete the film on their limited budget. Another lucky break, Adam Beach saw an early cut of the film and offered to narrate the Windego story that weaved throughout the film. Momentum faltered when Sudbury Cinefest passed on the film. The filmmakers knew they needed the push of a festival premiere.

Salvation came via the Toronto Independent Film Festival. The film was a hit, winning Best Micro-Budget Feature. Positive reviews opened doors for ‘the little film that could’. Playing across Canada, the US and Europe, The Road to Tophet won awards in Green Bay (Best Director), Berlin (Best Screenplay), Montreal (Best Canadian Feature), Soo, Mich. and a Special Commendation from the Scottish Independent Film Festival.

Throughout, offers of distribution were entertained but the filmmakers held out. 

“It was a long time coming, but I feel we have a good home for our movie,” says Schmidt of their recently inked deal with TVA Films of Montreal. 

Adds Green, “We definitely took the long road home.”

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