Local filmmaker earns deal for theatre release of movie shot in Windsor
Gavin Booth's 90 minute film will be released in cinemas across Canada and the United States
Amherstburg's Gavin Booth just snagged a movie deal that will release his one-take film, shot in Windsor, in theatres across Canada and the United States.
Booth's 90-minute feature, titled Last Call, was filmed in 2018 and is about a suicidal alcoholic who attempts to call a crisis prevention hotline — but a misdial gets him a single mother working as a night janitor instead. The filmmaker, who now lives in Los Angeles, signed with Mutiny Pictures.
The film first premiered in Windsor September 2019 and has won a number of festival awards.
Due to the pandemic, select cities will have theatre screenings and others will release the movie online.
"It's already accomplished more than I could have ever hoped out of the movie. It's led to so many fantastic meetings and opportunities and the reception we've had to the film so far from critics...its just been a wonderful experience all around."
Booth said that COVID-19 has created a "paradigm shift that you don't need to be in major film centre anymore" to make content.
Though the pandemic has already drastically changed the movie industry, Booth said he's still been able to work on new "covid-safe projects" that will seen fewer actors, extras and smaller camera crews.
His current project is being filmed in his LA condo and will reflect some of what is going on in the world.
Booth added that he hopes to be able to film something in Windsor again, but that it's hard to make plans at this time, especially since LA is still in Stage 1 of reopening.
"[I'm] holding my fingers crossed for the world to resume," he said. "It's another challenge that this industry is throwing at us."
Last Call will be released in Windsor Sept. 18 at Imagine Cinemas Lakeshore. Booth added that all the money from ticket sales will be donated to Canadian mental health programs.
"We're hoping it's a way that people will want to come back and give movie theatres a chance again after being away for so long to come watch a local movie," he said.