Made-in-Niagara movie thriller ‘Jackknife’ premieres next month
Filmed last fall, latest from director Adam Jack screens at Toronto theatre March 3
A made-in-Niagara thriller will have its premiere March 3 at the TIFF Lightbox in Toronto.
From there, director Adam Jack is hoping “Jackknife” builds a big enough buzz playing festivals to eventually land a distribution deal.
All in all, it was a quick turn of events for Jack, who filmed the movie last fall after assembling its cast in just two weeks.
“It usually takes months, but what happened is, the producer contacted me and said, ‘Look, I’ve got a guy a guy who wants to fund the movie, but he wants this done by the end of the year.’ So, I went, I’m not going to turn down money to make a movie.”
From there, the production found a forest-like setting in Thorold to film the story of two Black siblings (Tivon Charles and Payton Mills) who head out for an afternoon of fishing and are attacked by a drifter. During the struggle, the assailant is killed with a jackknife, but because of racial tensions, the pair are reluctant to go to police.
Jack wrote the movie (along with six others) during the pandemic. The Black Lives Matter movement sparked the idea, along with Ernest Hemingway’s short story collection “The Nick Adams Stories.” One of the stories finds a brother and sister being chased by a game warden for hunting in the woods.
“I thought that was really compelling, in the way this small child is trying to take care of his little sister,” said Jack. “I loved it and I’d love to make a Hemingway movie, but, obviously … the rights.
“But then with all the things going on in America, with the Black Lives Matter movement and police shootings, one idea came to the other. What if two kids did something and they were actually in the right … but were afraid to go the police. They don’t think the police would believe them.”
The story, set in the U.S., probes some dark terrain for Jack’s young cast. It’s a balancing act that requires trust on both sides.
“I really made sure to talk openly with the parents. Questions, concerns, things like that. And making sure everyone feels comfortable and safe was the big one. But they were so mature and handled it so well.”
Despite the tight timeline for casting, Jack was blown away by the film’s young cast. All found in Niagara.
“I had kids from Toronto and all over sending in tapes, but it just so happened the three best kids all came from this area,” he said. “They are unbelievable. You would assume I had been casting for a year to find this kind of talent. They blew it out of the park.
“I would watch the dailies and I would see Payton, every take, being able to pull up the emotions of a much older actor. These kids are going somewhere, I’m so confident in that.”
The film also stars Doug Vermeeren, Evan Lewis Dolinski and Erica Sherwood, who co-wrote the script. The film is also co-produced by Sherwood and Jason Lupish, who operate Jarico Films for Youth in Niagara.
“Jackknife” is one of two films Jack shot last year — he also did the thriller “The Lurker,” which won more than 30 awards on the festival circuit.
He sees Niagara as the next hot spot for filmmakers.
“There’s so much here. So many locations, so many talented people that are making the trek into Hamilton or Toronto (to film) … there’s no reason we can’t stay home.
“That is my goal because I don’t want to have to leave this area.”
“Jackknife” screens at the TIFF Lightbox, 350 King St. W., March 3 at 6:30 p.m. For tickets go to thelurkermovie.com.
Two Black siblings (Tivon Charles and Payton Mills) head out for an afternoon of fishing and are attacked by a drifter