SCHOOL DISTRICT SETTLES WITH SEXUAL ABUSE VICTIM – PAGE 4 FIREFIGHTERS MOVE INTO THEIR NEW HALL – PAGE 10
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Thursday, January 28, 2021
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PRINCEGEORGECITIZEN
PG CHOSEN FOR CHRISTMAS MOVIE TED CLARKE Citizen staff
A group of Prince George movie makers will try to create Christmas for the cameras when they assemble a cast of actors, technicians and tradespeople in March to film A Great North Christmas.
BERNIE IN PG When the Bernie Sanders picture from the Joe Biden
inauguration last week went viral, we asked readers to put him in Citizen photos for a chance to win $50 in gift certificates to local restaurants. Natasha Bader seamlessly put Bernie at this year’s Ness Lake polar bear dip with Carol and Mark Stofer. To see more of the best entries, visit our website at pgcitizen.ca.
Sex assault case dismissed MARK NIELSEN Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A former B.C. Ministry of Child and Family Development manager no longer stands accused of sexually assaulting a minor. In a 27-page decision regarding Edward
Owen Berry, Judge Brian Daley found Crown counsel had exceeded the 18-month time limit, mandated by the Supreme Court of Canada for cases going through provincial court, by 90 days. See INSTITUTIONAL on page 7
Filming for the first major movie production in the city in nearly two decades begins March 1 and for two weeks those lenses will be focused on the city and its people. Produced by Barker Street Cinema, in a joint venture with Anamorphic Media, Trilight Entertainment and Princ Films, the feature-length movie is being marketed internationally and is slated for delivery in time for the 2021 Christmas season. James Douglas will direct the movie and Norm Coyne is the producer. Barker Street has a growing list of movie credits, which includes The Doctor’s Case, Wicked Ways and the film short Final Breath. “This is a perfect spot for a Christmas film,” said Coyne. “We have something here that many locations don’t have, and that’s snow. I think, just like last year, it’s going to be a later winter this year.” A Great North Christmas is a test case and if the project goes well there will be more in store for Prince George and with a series of movies made back-to-back once film crews return to the city. Sara Shaak, the former head of the Prince George Film Commission, is the owner of Anamorphic Media and part-owner of Trilight Entertainment. Her companies have teamed up with Princ Films on several releases that are receiv-
ing favourable reviews, including Girl (starring Bella Thorne), The Doorman and Cagefighter, all released last year. She’s looking forward to coming back to her hometown for a month of moviemaking and she predicts the film will do well. A Great North Christmas is a romance which revolves around a single women whose big-city friends arrange a trip for her to a small town for a winter Christmas unlike any other she’s had before. She’s a bit of a fish out of water in her new surroundings and meets somebody in her travels and they fall in love, but not without a few mishaps and obstacles to create plot twists. “The market really loves these feelgood Christmas movies,” said Shaak. “They’re very popular and people who have worked closely with us have been saying we should get into producing these kind of films, there’s a lot of opportunity here.” While Prince Films is handling most of the decisions on hiring actors, Barker Street will tap into its acting pool to fill some of the minor roles. The lead actors have yet to be determined but all will be Canadian to avoid delays caused by border restrictions and quarantines during the pandemic. Shaak confirmed Prince George actor Madison Smith is being considered for a lead role. Extras for the movie will likely be people from the same household to reduce the risk of COVID infection and transmission. Pre-production, including site location, set building and planning will start in February and filming should be wrapped up by mid-March.