Dead set on getting ahead by any mean’s necessary, Officer Jo Bellamy is making rookie decisions nightly trying to ingratiate herself into a club which doesn’t want her for a member. And when Tony Burke, a fellow detective, refuses to let go of their sexual past, she humiliates him in front of their peers, unaware of the deadly game she’s set in motion…but she’s about to discover that for every choice there is a price.
BLOWBACK is a suspense fueled cautionary tale, which explores themes of female identity and fear filtered through the framework of an institution that still clings to a secretive and disturbing imbalance of power between the men and women sworn to serve and protect.
INSPIRATION
This film was inspired by a personal experience with violence which I shared with the amazing Lea Thau (Peabody award winning producer and co-creator of The Moth) on her new podcast STRANGERS.
ARTISTIC VISION
Is there a tipping point for feminine blowback? My artistic approach to this film is to create a visual manifestation of the tangible internal unease that many women feel everyday, utilizing the gritty tension and muscular legacy of the cop thriller genre. The rich saturated palette of blues, browns and rusts gives a nod to the 1970’s. Cinematically, the overall use of shaping natural light and voyeuristic framing pulls the viewer into a world of shadow’s, isolation and uncertainty. Nothing is quite as it seems and when we realize what dark game is a foot on the field of play, the dynamic breathing camera work triggers a feeling of dread in the viewer, as if watching a lonely animal trapped in a cage of her own making. In the final frames of the climax, as the camera pulls up and away, we are cinematically reminded of how alone we are in the choices we make.
Joanne Boland as JO BELLAMY
Joanne Boland is a Toronto-based actress and musician. Most recently, joined the cast of the hit series Gangland Undercover. She played Morgan Finn in the critically acclaimed series Strange Empire, (Netflix,CBC) Mrs. Summers in X – Men: Apocalypse and guest starred on Designated Survivor, Private Eyes, Haven, Copper, Murdoch Mysteries Schitt’s Creek, Rogue and starred in Benjamin (TIFF 2015).
Boland has also played leading and recurring roles on Being Erica, Train 48, Slings and Arrows and the TMN miniseries Z.O.S. Her additional television credits include Slasher, The Code, Cracked, Flashpoint, Saving Hope, Lost Girl, XIII, The Listener and the BBC series Holby City. Boland’s feature film credits include Picture Day (TIFF 2012), Mulroney: The Opera, The Deadliest Sea, Saw 1V, and King of Sorrow. When she’s not in front of the camera she can be found electrifying audiences as a member of the funk machine Elastocitizens.
Peter Mooney as TONY BURKE
Peter Mooney is a graduate of the National Theatre School who was born and raised in Winnipeg but is now based out of Toronto. Recently seen as a recurring lead on Heroes Reborn and a lead character on the last season of Saving Hope, he may be best known for his role of Nick Collins on the dramatic series Rookie Blue and for playing Sir Kay on the historical fantasy Starz series Camelot. Other television credits include Heartland, Republic of Doyle, Murdoch Mysteries, ZOS and Falcon Beach. His feature credits include We Were Wolves (TIFF 2015) and Summer’s Moon with Ashley Greene (Twilight).
He has also starred in stage productions such as Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Measure For Measure, and The Goat Or Who Is Sylvia, and when he’s not acting he’s writing having penned Method and Parachute two BravoFACT shorts.
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Categorised in: Independent Horror Film
This post was written by Nadia Vella