Most families can barely get through a relaxing vacation without bickering. So working together, efficiently and productively, without fighting? That鈥檚 a far-flung dream for the majority of families out there.
And yet, that鈥檚 precisely what the Harmon family accomplished in If I Had Wings, an inspirational feature that kicks off the Reel 2 Real International Film Festival for Youth on April 4.
With mom Cynde producing, dad Allan directing, and adult kids Richard and Jessica in front of the camera, the Harmons brought Michael Markus and Tim Stubinski鈥檚 script for If I Had Wings to cinematic reality in as drama-free a fashion as is possible.
The secret to working with family, Allan says, is to push aside the fact that you鈥檙e working with family.
鈥淲e all do all these jobs, and so we just got together and we鈥檙e doing the jobs that we do together,鈥� he said during a family interview at a Gastown coffee shop.
Not that there weren鈥檛 challenges. The Harmons鈥� 15-year-old dog Clough died during filming.
鈥淚f you were on another set where we were alone, we probably would have been more capable of holding it in, but it鈥檚 difficult when you鈥檙e around your family because they鈥檙e going through the exact same thing,鈥� said Jessica. 鈥淎t the same time, it was easier, too, because they were there. We had each other.鈥�
If I Had Wings became a passion project for Cynde the moment she read the script. 鈥淚t was like a little piece of our family history, because both of the children had run cross country in school, and so did I,鈥� she says. It took six years to secure the financing for If I Had Wings, and then 15 days to shoot it.
Richard is Alex Taylor, a blind teen who prevails in cross-country running; Jessica is his coach. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e both extremely prepared, which makes me really proud,鈥� says Allan of his Leo Award-winning children. 鈥淭hese were not easy roles. They needed a subtle nuance built into the parts, and both of them bring that in their own way.鈥�
For Richard, Alex is a departure from the charismatic, nasty characters he鈥檚 played in recent years on series such as Continuum and The Killing and films such as Evangeline (he鈥檚 a rapist in that one).
Not only is Alex a nice guy, but being blind, 鈥淚 had to put away the idea of always knowing or being aware of what I look like.鈥� To prepare for the role, Richard avoided mirrors, and would blindfold himself and go running with a friend who鈥檇 direct the actor with his voice.
He even sat in a movie theatre blindfolded and 鈥渨atched鈥� The Internship. 鈥淚 wanted to understand how well I could make out a situation if I couldn鈥檛 see it, and I think I did pretty well,鈥� he said.
If I Had Wings also stars Lorne Cardinal (Corner Gas), Jill Hennessey (Crossing Jordan), and Jaren Brandt Bartlett (Arctic Air). 鈥淚 cry every time I see the film,鈥� says Cynde. 鈥淚 can see it another several hundred times and not ever get tired of it.鈥�
The Reel 2 Real International Film Festival for Youth features screenings, a talent lab, and a youth media lab and showcase. For details, visit .
If you work in our film and TV industry, Sabrina Furminger wants to hear your stories. Follow Sabrina on Twitter @sabrinarmf or send your news to [email protected].
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