‘I am a weirdo.’ · ‘Honey, she is a weirdo, too. We are all weirdos. That’s what makes us beautiful.’

In laconic black-and-white images, Bruce McDonald tells the humorous story of two adolescent runaways, Kit and Alice. On the eve of the 1976 United States Bicentennial, the film accompanies the two hitchhikers on a turbulent journey through the breathtaking landscape of the Canadian east coast, set to a quintessentially 1970s soundtrack. While Kit wants to start a new life in his glamorous but unstable mother's artist commune, Alice makes no bones about her longing for romance. Yet in the glow of the crackling campfire of a beach party, they both reach new insights that put their relationship to the test. Likewise, the day following their joyous reunion sees Kit and his mother facing up to some uncomfortable truths.
by Bruce McDonald
with Dylan Authors, Julia Sarah Stone, Molly Parker, Allan Hawco
Canada 2016 English 84’ Black/White

With

  • Dylan Authors (Kit)
  • Julia Sarah Stone (Alice)
  • Molly Parker (Laura)
  • Allan Hawco (Dave)

Crew

Director Bruce McDonald
Screenplay Daniel MacIvor
Cinematography Becky Parsons
Editing Duff Smith
Music Asif Illyas
Sound Design Eric Leclerc
Sound Andrew Rillie
Production Design Matt Likely
Costumes Bethana Briffett
Make-Up Lindsay Thorne
Casting Gil Anderson
Assistant Director Keith White
Production Manager Marc Tetreault
Producers Marc Almon, Mike MacMillan, Bruce McDonald
Executive Producer Marc Savoie

Produced by

Holdfast Pictures Inc.

Lithium Studios Productions Inc.

Shadow Shows Inc.

Bruce McDonald

Born in Kingston, Canada in 1959, he is a director known for his irreverent, eclectic style and his love of music and pop culture. His work first appeared at the Berlinale in 1990 with his debut feature film Roadkill. His later films The Love Crimes Of Gillian Guess and The Tracey Fragments both screened in the Panorama section. He currently lives with his wife and their daughter in Toronto, enjoys Italian food and loves the Miles Davis album 'Bitches Brew'.

Filmography (selection)

1989 Roadkill 1991 Highway 61 2004 The Love Crimes of Gillian Guess (Die Liebesverbrechen der Gillian Guess) 2007 The Tracey Fragments 2008 Pontypool 2010 This Movie is Broken 2013 The Husband 2016 Weirdos

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2017