(WINNIPEG, MB) SEPTEMBER 25, 2023 - Farpoint Films announced the start of production on an Indigenous Feature Film, Aberdeen. Filming has started and continues for the next month in Winnipeg and outlying areas.
Aberdeen, written and directed by Ryan Cooper (named one of Playback’s Ten to Watch in2021) and Eva Thomas (Shelved), is a drama set in Treaty One Territory in modern-day downtown Winnipeg. It centers on the indomitable Aberdeen, an Indigenous climate change refugee that has been forced from her home due to flooding and must adjust to big city life along with overcoming intergenerational cycle of trauma that has been tearing her family apart for 5 generations.
“This script is so personal and precious to me and it was important to be surrounded by creative artists I trust to bring this film to life,” said Ryan Cooper. “This is not only my story, really, it’s everyone’s.”
Aberdeen is produced by Kyle Bornais (The Swearing Jar), Ryan Cooper (Alter Boys) and Kathleen Easton (Almost Unsolved).
“Ryan’s powerful storytelling continues to impress on a daily basis and it’s a privilege to be on this journey with him and Eva,” said Farpoint’s Kyle Bornais. “This is a story that needs to be seen not only in Canada, but around the world.”
“I’m excited & privileged to be a part of helping Ryan & Eva bring to the big screen such a personal story & one that is tremendously important to the community & larger audience as a whole,” added Kathleen Easton.
Aberdeen stars Gail Maurice (Bones of Crows), Billy Merasty (Acting Good), Liam Stewart-Kanigan (Orphan: First Kill), Ryan Black (Dance Me Outside), and Jennifer Podemski (Reservation Dogs).
Aberdeen is part of the first-look producing deal between Farpoint Films and Ryan Cooper’s Back to Space Productions.
ABOUT RYAN COOPER
Ryan Cooper is a graduate of the National Screen Institute's CBC New Indigenous Voices program. The NSI Indigidocs Program is where he had the opportunity to produce an award-winning short documentary that went on to be programmed in festivals all around the globe.The film, When The Children Left, can now be found on CBC Gem. Ryan also created two web series, one titled, Daybreak People, that aired on Bell MTS Fibe TV1, and the imagineNative/APTN pitch winning series iNdigiThreads. Ryan is producing two TELEFILM TALENT TO WATCH projects. Ryan was also named as one of Playback’s Ten to Watch for 2021 and was a Participate in the 2021 WarnerMedia Discovery/Canadian Academy writers program.
ABOUT EVA THOMAS
Eva Thomas is a director, writer and producer. She recently directed episodes for CBC's Still Standing and wrote for CTV's comedy series Shelved, CBC Gem's Zarqa, the CTV/APTN series Acting Good and the upcoming Crave/APTN series Don’t Even. Eva completed the BIPOC TV & FILM Showrunners' Bootcamp and the Women in the Director's Chair Career Advancement Module. She was also part of the Indigenous Producer Delegation at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. As an Associate Producer, Eva contributed to the feature film Night Raiders directed by Danis Goulet. Eva wrote and directed the short film, Redlights, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and is currently developing a feature film script based on it, supported by Telefilm and the Indigenous Screen Office. Most recently, she served as Executive Producer for Kaniehtiio Horn’s feature film directorial debut Seeds.
