Fresh off the plane from a film festival in Indianapolis, Avi Federgreen takes a time out to discuss his movie’s headline appearance at the upcoming Haliburton International Film Festival (HIFF).
The film’s director is bringing a few of his colleagues Nov. 2 to answer questions after the screening of Home Free.
While he says, “we let the questions drive the conversation,” he later adds, “I don’t pull any punches. Take it or leave it. It’s ok if you want to leave it, but I’m not hiding behind anything anymore and I don’t think you (audiences) should either.”
Home Free is a Canadian drama, released in festivals in 2024. The film stars Michelle Nolden as Rain, Tara Spencer Nairn as Ivy, and Natalie Brown as Daisy – three sisters who return home for their parents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary, only to face the news that their father Herb (Art Hindle) is dying of brain cancer.It premiered at the 2024 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival, where it caught the eye of HIFF member Marci Mandel. She invited Federgreen to HIFF.
In Indianapolis, the director says he was approached by a viewer who told him, “I didn’t realize what I was signing up for when the movie started playing.” She said ‘this is my family … my father is dying right now … thank you for telling this story and thank you for creating a story that I can wrap myself around and help me heal but also help me move forward’.”
Federgreen said the film has been “a labour of love.” It took eight years to make and “went through a lot of bumpy roads to get to this point.”
He says he couldn’t raise any money out of the funding system in Canada for the film. As someone who has suffered depression and anxiety for years, it drove him to attempt suicide. After a 30-year career he was devestated he could not get financial backing.
“Fortunately for me, my father-in-law and wife essentially saved me. My father-in-law gave me the money, no strings attached to make the film. If it wasn’t for them, there would be no movie. Everybody thinks the film industry is all glamour and I can tell you there’s more tears than there is glamour in the film industry in this county.”
Federgreen doesn’t shy away from dark subject matter. The film addresses medical assistance in dying, mental health, LGBTQ issues, childhood sexual assault and broken families.
“These are all topics that need to be discussed … and create a conversation about. I’ve spent my career talking about things that are important and matter.”
Out of 70-plus films he’s been involved in, he is most proud of this one.
“The job of filmmakers is to tell those stories and help people get through the hard parts of life.” Attached to the film is a website of resources for people dealing with some of the issues the film depicts.
Federgreen knows the film will resonate for people in Haliburton County.
“Twenty to 25 per cent, maybe even more people in the audience are fighting demons. They come up to me after screenings and thank me for telling my story, they’re going through the same thing but don’t have the courage to outwardly talk about it. I’ve shown them you can be outwardly committed to telling these stories so it can help other people. I’m going to continue to tell my story. I’m not embarrassed by it. I don’t think you should be embarrassed about being honest about what you are going through.”
He added the movie is about a broken family. “I would bet you 80 per cent or 90 per cent of the people in that room have broken families, and most of them realize it while they’re watching the movie, and they thank me after the film.
“The more people who can see this film the happier I am. It’s not about dollars and cents for me. If I save one person, I’ve done my job.”
Those Other Movies presents the Haliburton International Film Festival (HIFF) Nov. 1-3 at the Northern Lights Performing Arts Pavilion in Haliburton. To reserve passes and see more details about the full lineup go to thoseothermovies.com/
