Damon DâOliveira and Clement Virgo of Conquering Lion Pictures and Peter De Maegd and Tom Hameeuw of Potemkino are pleased to announce that principal photography has wrapped on the elevated psychological thriller, Steal Away, directed by Clement Virgo (Brother, The Book of Negroes). The film, a Canada-Belgium co-production, stars Angourie Rice (Mean Girls, Mare of Easttown, Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Nice Guys), Mallori Johnson (Kindred, Genius MLK/X), Lauren Lee Smith (The Shape of Water, The L Word), Idrissa Sanogo Bamba (The Boys, Titans, The Fire Inside). Steal Away is written by Tamara Faith Berger (Lie With Me) and Clement Virgo, inspired by the non-fiction book, Steal Away Home by Karolyn Smardz Frost.
Steal Away is produced by Conquering Lion Pictures in Canada, Potemkino in Belgium and in association with 2CFILM in the Netherlands and was shot in Belgium.
The film is produced by Damon DâOliveira and Clement Virgo (Brother, Rude, Lie With Me, The Book of Negroes) and Peter De Maegd and Tom Hameeuw (Hazard, Ennio: The Maestro, Cool Abdoul), executive produced by Paula Devonshire (Indian Horse, Run Woman Run), Caitlin Grabham (Brother, Firecrackers), Laurie May (Humane, Infinity Pool, Brother), Noah Segal (Blackberry, Infinity Pool, Brother), with
Edvard van ât Wout (Casanovaâs, Thunderdome Never Dies) serving as Associate Producer.
Fanny, a naive teenager, starts her journey to adulthood when CĂ©cile, a mysterious refugee, is taken in by her charitable family. As the two girls develop an intense and obsessive bond, Fanny becomes captivated by CĂ©cile’s way of navigating life, leading to an awakening of desire and jealousy. Gradually, both girls realize that the charitable world they inhabit is not what it appears.
âWeâre going to unsettle and surprise the audience with this female-driven thriller, weaving sharp social critiques on race, sex and family into an entertaining, psychological thrill ride,â say Creators Clement Virgo and Tamara Faith Berger. âWe want to provoke a conversation about how to make allegiances outside your own tribe. In a way, we are all teenage girls: fierce, full of love and fighting the powers that be.â
Cinematography is by Sophie Winqvist (Clara Sola, Pleasure, Aniara), production design by Elisa SauvĂ© (Cross, Luckiest Girl Alive, Sneakerella), costume design by Sofie Callaerts (Hidden Assets, Arcadia), and editing by Jorge Weisz (Sweetland, Night Raiders, Aprilâs Daughter).
The film is being released by Elevation Pictures in Canada, and is targeted for a late 2025 theatrical run.
Steal Away is funded by Telefilm Canada, The Canada Media Fund, ON Creates, Elevation Pictures, BNP Paribas Fortis Film Finance and Screen Flanders.
Angourie Rice is represented by WME and is managed by Catherine Poulton of CP Artist Management. Mallori Johnson is represented by WME and is managed by Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
US and World Rights (except for Canada) are available and being handled by WME Independent.
Damon DâOliveira and Clement Virgo of Conquering Lion Pictures, known for their acclaimed works, Brother and The Book of Negroes, have secured the highly anticipated film and television rights to Catherine Hernandezâs upcoming novel Behind You, set to be published on May 7, 2024.
Hernandez, the best-selling and prize-winning novel author of Scarborough, will adapt her own novel for the big screen. Behind You examines the insidiousness of rape culture through the dual narrative of a young Filipina growing into womanhood while a nameless serial killer is at large in her Scarborough neighbourhood, and the same woman years later watching her teenage sonâs behaviour with increasing fear.
The novel serves as Hernandezâs eagerly awaited follow-up to her national bestseller, The Story of Us. Hernandez says, “I knew Conquering Lion Pictures was the right home for the film adaptation of Behind You simply because when I declared my desire to pen the screenplay myself, Clement Virgo casually said, ‘Yeah. You know what you’re doing.’ You rarely hear that as a racialized woman in the media industry. And given the journey of my novel’s protagonist from scarred to self-assured woman in the face of misogyny, it felt empowering to begin the script fueled by Conquering Lion Pictures’ guidance and confidence in me. I wholeheartedly trust them as well. Given their track record of outstanding adaptations, from The Book of Negroes to Brother, I know this sensitive story is in compassionate, accomplished hands.”
Clement Virgo and Damon DâOliveira , co-founders of Conquering Lion Pictures, expressed their enthusiasm for the project: âCatherine has crafted an unapologetic story that explores timely themes in an astonishingly fresh voice. As with our previous slate, we look forward to producing an adaptation of this compelling story for the screen.â
Rights were sold by Samantha Haywood at Transatlantic Literary Agency. Damon DâOliveira negotiated the deal on behalf of Conquering Lion Pictures.
A Red Carpet Premiere in Scarborough? Is ths for real? Cineplex Scarborough Town Centre hosted a special screening of Clement Virgo’s BROTHER, adapted from David Chariandy’s Novel of the same name. Like its source material this film version has gone on to win huge accolades after its TIFF ’22 Premiere, and if this weren’t enough it has garnered 14 Canadian Screen Award nominations, plus being named a finalist for Rogers’ Best Canadian Feature Award at the upoming Toronto Film Critics Association Awards.
The stars are all aligned yes, they even showed up alongside Director/Writer Virgo at the screening attended by select Media, plus friends and family. Lamar Johnson stars as Michael, a young man growing-up amidist the rise of gang violence in Scarborough in the ’90s. We meet his protective brother Francis (Aaron Pierre) whom at a young age, struggles with the ideals of masculinity, being handed the responsibilties of being a proxy caregiver while their mother works overnight shifts, and also his own standing in the neighbourhood and peers. Rad Simonpillai moderated a Q&A following the Movie, commenting on the importance of audiences seeing this Scarborough-set story.
See a reel of highlights from the night here:
The screening was followed by an afterparty at the Scarborough Civic Centre Library, attended by the likes of special guests Catherine Hernandez (Author of “Scarborough“) and Director X!
Elevation Pictures release BROTHER March 17, 2023.
(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures/Mr. Will Wong)
We proudly present the premiere of the Trailer for TIFF ’22 selection, BROTHER from Director Clement Virgo.
Synopsis:
Propelled by the pulsing beats of Torontoâs early hip-hop scene, Brother is the story of Francis and Michael, sons of Caribbean immigrants maturing into young men. Exploring themes of masculinity, identity, and family, a mystery unfolds during the sweltering summer of 1991, and escalating tensions set off a series of events that change the course of the brothers’ lives forever. Brother crafts a timely story about the profound bond between siblings, the resilience of a community, and the irrepressible power of music.
Directed by: Clement Virgo
Starring: Lamar Johnson, Aaron Pierre, Kiana Madeira
Based on the award-winning novel by David
Chariandy
Elevation Pictures release BROTHER March 17, 2023.
(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)
By Mr. Will Wong
Based on David Charlandy‘s acclaimed Novel of the same name, Clement Virgo‘s BROTHER takes us back to the ’90s in Scarborough. We meet two brothers, raised by their single mother (Marsha Stephanie Blake), and despite her best efforts to shield them, ultimately they are unable to avoid becoming a product of the violence abound, whether it be in the news or the gangs who fight for territory in their economically-depressed neighbourhood.
A mild-mannered Michael (Lamar Johnson) looks-up to his older brother Francis (Aaron Pierre), who acts as a big brother and father figure in the absence of their dad. And told in a non-linear manner, we see tragedy unfold as they and we continue to live in a time today where the value of a black life still is at the forefront of discussion.
Virgo, sans melodrama, captures a fly-on-the-wall feel with stunning Cinematography by Guy Godfree that evokes a darkness that casts a shadow over the hope of youth and coming-of-age for these young men. A beautiful, heartbreaking piece that at once looks at the strength of one family’s love in a dire place and time.
BROTHER screens at TIFF ’22 as follows:
Fri, Sep 09 IN-PERSON Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre 6:30pm
Fri, Sep 16IN-PERSON TIFF Bell Lightbox 6:00pm
Filmed right here in Toronto, Clement Virgo‘s BROTHER will get a huge debut home at TIFF ’22! Based on David Chariandyâs prize-winning novel of the same name, Virgo adapted the Novel for the screen.
Synopsis:
Brother is the story of Francis and Michael, sons of Caribbean immigrants maturing into young men amidst Toronto’s pulsing 1990’s hip-hop scene. A mystery unfolds when escalating tensions set off a series of events which changes the course of the brothers’ lives forever.
Brother stars Lamar Johnson (The Hate U Give), Aaron Pierre (Underground Railroad), Kiana Madeira (Fear Street) and Marsha Stephanie Blake (When They See Us). The film is produced by recently announced member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, Damon DâOliveira, as well as Virgo, of Conquering Lion Pictures, along with Aeschylus Poulos and Sonya Di Rienzo of Hawkeye Pictures. Executive producers are Aaron L. Gilbert and Steven Thibault of BRON and Laurie May and Noah Segal of Elevation Pictures.The film will be distributed in Canada by Elevation Pictures and BRON Releasing will manage the sale in other territories.
(Photo credit: Elevation Pictures)
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