The film is a unique collaboration between myself and Janine Windolph, a Cree documentary filmmaker who was born in La Ronge. We shared writing and directing duties in an effort to create a film was nuanced, honest, and truthful to the community and culture of northern Saskatchewan.
— Filmmaker Daniel Redenbach
Daniel Redenbach, who grew up in Yorkton, is involved in a new film currently in post-production.
The Land of Rock and Gold, is very much a Saskatchewan film said Redenbach who grew up in Yorkton and left to study film at the University of Regina shortly after graduating from the YRHS in 2003.
“The film is a unique collaboration between myself and Janine Windolph, a Cree documentary filmmaker who was born in La Ronge,” he said. “We shared writing and directing duties in an effort to create a film was nuanced, honest, and truthful to the community and culture of northern Saskatchewan. I also produced and edited the film.”
The story too is one of the Saskatchewan north.
“The film is a suspenseful and emotional character study that takes place in La Ronge, Saskatchewan,” explained Redenbach. “It follows a young Cree mother and her seven-year-old son after her boyfriend mysteriously vanishes into the woods while on a hunting trip. She turns to the community and the land around her to track down his whereabouts and uncover the secrets he left behind. The search becomes a test of perseverance and a healing journey for her.”
Redenbach said the film found some outstanding talent to work with.
“The heart and soul of this film is Charity Bradfield, a La Ronge local that we met while auditioning up north,” he said. “She brought her son Dimitri in to audition for the child role, but wasn’t interested herself. We had trouble keeping Dimitri’s attention during line readings with other actresses, so we brought his mom in to help out and we were blown away by her. She reluctantly agreed to audition, and when she did - we instantly knew - she was Rochelle. She and her son worked on screen together in a really special performance that feels so natural and honest, it’s truly beautiful.
“Charity has gone on to win a Saskatchewan Independent Film Award for Best Performance, and Best Lead Performance by an Actress at the Red Nation Film Awards in LA - up against some seasoned industry veterans I might add.
“The rest of the cast is made up of some rising Canadian talent like Devery Jacobs (Rhymes for Young Ghouls), Marina Stephenson Kerr (Channel Zero, Borealis), Josh Strait (Corner Gas, Stakelander)... and of course I can’t make anything without casting Yorkton’s talented Tyson Off (Gunderson).”
Filming took place around La Ronge, Stanley Mission and Potato Lake in Northern Saskatchewan over the course of 15 days in December 2015.
Post production took place in Toronto and Regina over the past 12 months.
The process drags admitted Redenbach, but added it is rewarding.
“The process of making a feature film is so long – two-years already on the clock for this one - that you grow so much through it,” he said. “I’m feeling ready and excited to move on to the next one, but I’m very happy with the film, and so incredibly proud of Charity and Dimitri.
“I think Janine and I succeeded in what we were trying to do - it’s an effective, moving and pretty challenging film. There’s nothing more rewarding than watching it with an audience who laugh, cry, shift nervously in their seats, and have a dozen things to talk about with their friends after.”
But the process is not quite complete for The Land of Rock and Gold.
“We’re running a crowdfunder right now to help raise money for marketing materials and distribution opportunities. It’s really tough making a film on a small budget (we were only $250,000 - your average Canadian film is generally $1.5-2M), so we’re turning to our supporters to help us get out there.”
Their crowdfunder is running at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-land-of-rock-and-gold-a-woodland-mystery-independent-women
And the film is starting to make its rounds to be seen.
“We just started the festival circuit across Canada and the USA, and screenings pick up again this February with more international opportunities,” said Redenbach. “Television and hopefully a small run in theaters next year... fingers crossed tightly for Yorkton Film Festival.”
Involvement in the local festival would be a natural as Redenbach became interested in the medium of film while still loving in Yorkton.
“Without much to do in Yorkton, I always loved film and movies and other artistic forms of storytelling,” he said. “That interest has been fine-tuned over many years through my own projects, studies, and working in the film industry. Even though I’ve lived in Toronto for four years now, every project - this one and every other one I’m working on - is a prairie story. Just where my heart is, I guess.”
After leaving Yorkton Redenbach said his path has been film.
“I went straight to Regina after graduating and did everything I could to get close to the film industry there,” he said. “I studied at the University of Regina and applied to every film and TV show filming there.
“It was in the midst of the Corner Gas boom in the Saskatchewan film industry and I was lucky enough to get a foot in the door early. Because the community is small, I was able to work a lot and rise through the ranks quickly.
“I now hold a BFA in Film Production and Studies from the University of Regina and have worked on film sets as an assistant director and director all across the country for the past 12 years.”
