'Night Blooms': The small-budget Nova Scotia film doing big things

The Nova Scotia–made film “Night Blooms” has found success at home and can now be seen by audiences across the country. It’s the first full-length film by local writer and director Stephanie Joline.

The coming-of-age story about teenage girls in the 1990s deals with serious themes, such as power, sexuality and consent.

Joline says while “Night Blooms” is fictional, it does have real-life influences.

“The film is not an autobiography of my life, but I was a teenage girl in the ‘90s,” she says. “Some of the stuff that happens in the movie was definitely influenced by stuff I did, or I know someone who did those things.”

The film was shot in Dartmouth with nods to Joline’s hometown of Yarmouth, N.S.

“We don’t say it takes place anywhere, but it definitely feels like a small-time Maritimes kind of story,” she says.

“Night Blooms” features a cast and crew of mostly Atlantic Canadians. Alex McDonald of Prince Edward Island found her first big role with the character Laura.

“When I was on set, they were like, ‘You’ve done this before,’ and I’m like, ‘I have not done this before,’” she says. “It just felt really organic, authentic and it was really fun.”

The film did so well in Maritime theatres that its run was expanded by a week. It’s also been nominated for six Screen Nova Scotia Awards, including Outstanding Performance by McDonald.

“The way she (Joline) wrote ‘Night Blooms’ just felt really real and she’s a really grounded and real person,” says McDonald. “I feel our performances came out that way because of her writing.”

“Like it or hate it, I’d like it if people walked away from the film saying, ‘That’s gritty and real, that made me feel like it was a real story with complex emotions,’” says Joline.

“Night Blooms” is now available to rent or buy on streaming platforms.