The Atlantic Film Festival is building momentum after a successful opening night and on day two, there is no shortage of highlights.
The film All The Wrong Reasons is getting all the right kind of buzz heading into Friday night’s screening.
It debuted last week at the Toronto International Film Festival and earned New Brunswick director Gia Milani TIFF’s Emerging Filmmaker Award.
Despite the film’s success, the project was no easy ride. Milani had never directed or produced a feature film before writing the ensemble piece about four young and troubled big-box store employees.
Then, just days before they started shooting, Milani lost her male lead.
"My producers gave me 24 hours,” she says. “They said, ‘I'm sorry, but we're going to have to pull the plug.’"
In came the late Cory Monteith, of Glee fame.
"He called and said, “I can't believe this fell in my lap," says Milani.
Milani says there was nothing Hollywood about Monteith, calling him a sweet guy.
"The kids around here would bring the crew Tim Hortons donuts to get a glimpse of him,” says Milani. “He would hide behind the trailer, jump out and say ‘surprise!’ It was really cute."
All The Wrong Reasons would turn out to be one of Monteith’s last film roles. He died in July of a drug and alcohol overdose at the age of 31.
"I thought it was an Internet hoax. It still hasn't sunk in," says Milani.
All The Wrong Reasons should be an inspiration to other Atlantic Canadian filmmakers. The director is from Fredericton, the budget $1 million and it was shot in Halifax.
“Gia and her crew show it’s possible, world-class films here in Atlantic Canada,” says program director Jason Beaudry.
Milani says she has a message for those who share her dream.
“Do it! I started with a lot of people and they all stopped, they gave up and I think that’s it, you just have to keep going.”
All The Wrong Reasons screens Friday at 7 p.m., at Park Lane in Halifax.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Jayson Baxter
