Don't Talk to Irene | |
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Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Pat Mills |
Written by | Pat Mills |
Produced by | Alyson Richards Mike MacMillan |
Starring |
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Cinematography | Paul Sarossy |
Edited by | Tiffany Beaudin |
Music by | Erica Procunier |
Production companies | Alyson Richards Productions Lithium Studios |
Distributed by | Search Engine Films |
Release dates |
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Running time | 82 minutes |
Country | Canada |
Language | English |
Don't Talk to Irene is a 2017 Canadian comedy film written and directed by Pat Mills. It premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.
The film centres on Irene (Michelle McLeod), an overweight and unpopular high school student who wishes to be a cheerleader. After being suspended from school, Irene is sent to a retirement home as punishment. She decides to indulge her passion for cheerleading by enrolling a group of senior citizens for a dance competition. The film's cast also includes Bruce Gray, Anastasia Phillips, Scott Thompson, and Geena Davis.
Cast
- Michelle McLeod as Irene
- Bruce Gray as Charles
- Anastasia Phillips as Lydia
- Scott Thompson as Barrett
- Geena Davis as herself (voice-over and brief cameo)
- Deborah Grover as Ruth
- Joan Gregson as Millie
- Andy Reid as Tesh
- Aviva Mongillo as Sarah
- Romeo Carere as Robbie
- James Fry as Tony
- Kyla Kane as Kelly
- Jacob Switzer as Jacques
- Alexa Rose Steele as Rachel (credited as Alex Steele)
- Darrell Faria as Top Talent Showdown Host
- Tracey Hoyt as Principal Firestone
Production and accolades
Mills won the Toronto International Film Festival's annual Pitch This! competition for emerging film directors in 2008 for the film's original pitch, and the film's screenplay won the award for Best Comedy Screenplay at the 2013 Austin Film Festival. However, Mills made Guidance (2015) as his feature film debut before proceeding with Don't Talk to Irene, which entered production in 2016. It went on to win both the Comedy Vanguard Award and Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival, the Audience Choice at the Kingston Canadian Film Festival and the Galet d'Or at the 5th Canadian film festival of Dieppe, France. In June 2018, Don't Talk to Irene won two Canadian Comedy Awards: Best Feature and Best Writing in a Feature.
Release
Don't Talk to Irene received a limited release at Cineplex Yonge-Dundas in Toronto on September 29, 2017, by Search Engine Films. In the United States, the film was released on March 2, 2018, by Gravitas Ventures.
References
- "Don't Talk to Irene". Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
- ^ Vlessing, Etan (June 23, 2016). "Geena Davis to Star in Indie Comedy 'Don't Talk to Irene'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- "'Alias Grace,' film starring Evan Rachel Wood headline TIFF's Canadian slate". News 1130, August 9, 2017. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- Wong, Jessica (September 9, 2008). "Offbeat coming-of-age tale wins $10K movie-pitch competition". CBC News. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- Screenplay and Teleplay Competition Winners Austin Film Festival. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- "2017 Winners" Austin Film Festival, December 18, 2017. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- "KCFF'18 Award Winners" Kingston Canadian Film Festival, March 8, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- "Les lauréats du 5e festival du film canadien de Dieppe...". (in French) Paris-Normandie [fr], March 26, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- "Recipients of the 2018 Canadian Comedy Awards". Canadian Comedy Awards. June 3, 2018. Archived from the original on February 1, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- Baldwin, David (September 28, 2017). "#REVIEW: "Don't Talk to Irene"". Mr. Will Wong. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- Hipes, Patrick (February 15, 2018). "Toronto Pic 'Don't Talk To Irene' Lands At Gravitas Ventures". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
External links
Categories:- 2017 films
- 2017 comedy films
- 2017 independent films
- 2010s coming-of-age comedy films
- 2010s dance films
- Canadian coming-of-age comedy films
- Canadian dance films
- Canadian independent films
- Cheerleading films
- English-language Canadian films
- Films shot in Hamilton, Ontario
- Films directed by Pat Mills
- 2010s English-language films
- 2010s Canadian films
- English-language independent films