The Last Winter (1989 film)

The Last Winter is a Canadian drama film, directed by Aaron Kim Johnston and released in 1989.[1] The film stars Joshua Murray as William Jamison, a young boy in smalltown Manitoba whose close relationship with his grandfather Jack (Gerard Parkes) is threatened when his parents Ross (David Ferry) and Audrey (Wanda Cannon) announce that they will be leaving Jack's farm to live in the city.[2]

The Last Winter
Directed byAaron Kim Johnston
Produced byJack Clements
Ken Rodeck
Written byAaron Kim Johnston
StarringJoshua Murray
Gerard Parkes
David Ferry
Wanda Cannon
Music byVictor Davies
CinematographyIan Elkin
Edited byLara Mazur
Production
company
Rode Pictures
Distributed byNational Film Board of Canada
CBC Television
Release date
  • October 12, 1989 (1989-10-12) (VIFF)
Running time
115 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

The cast also includes Kate Murray as William's younger sister Winnie.

The film was shot primarily around Oak Lake, Manitoba, Johnston's hometown,[3] and was semi-autobiographical based on his own childhood.[4]

The film premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival in 1989.[5] It screened at numerous film festivals, but had trouble receiving widespread theatrical distribution; at least one commercial distributor told Johnston that while the film was excellent it simply wasn't sellable to English Canadian or American audiences, and would have been a much bigger hit if he had filmed it in French for the Quebec market.[6]

Marc Horton of the Edmonton Journal rated the film four stars, calling it "the best family film on the market right now", and especially praised the performances and the cinematography. He ultimately concluded that "it is a movie-going experience that's unique for English Canada. In fact, with its faintly European texture and pacing combined with our sensibilities, it is a film that should -- hopefully -- be around for a long, long time."[7] It was broadcast by CBC Television in December 1990.[8]

Designer Martha Wynne Snetsinger received a Genie Award nomination for Best Costume Design at the 11th Genie Awards in 1990.[9]

References
  1. Liam Lacey, "Filmmaker overcomes Prairie pitfalls". The Globe and Mail, October 16, 1989.
  2. "My heart belongs to the prairies: Film tells moving story of Manitoba boy's coming-of-age". Waterloo Region Record, October 5, 1990.
  3. "Manitoba town crows about film-making role". Edmonton Journal, April 10, 1989.
  4. Gaylene K. Dempsey, "The Last Winter". Cinema Canada, April 1989.
  5. Elizabeth Aird, "Director has top tips for home stretch". Vancouver Sun, October 10, 1989.
  6. "Last Winter gets chilly reception". Edmonton Journal, April 8, 1990.
  7. Marc Horton, "Winter tale Western Canada's own". Edmonton Journal, April 28, 1990.
  8. "The Last Winter a warm, charming family drama". Waterloo Region Record, December 8, 1990.
  9. "Bye Bye Blues in running for Genie Awards". Vancouver Sun, February 14, 1990.
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