Filmmakers fall head over heels for Okanagan after location shoot

In the new filmThe Orchard, the main character becomes deeply enchantedwithB.C.'s OkanaganValley.In real life, so did the film's creatorsso much so, they moved there.

"We completely fell in love with the people, the vineyards, thewine makersand thecheese makers," Kate Twa, the film's writer, director and producertold On the Coast host Gloria Macarenko.

After the film, she and her partner, RonanReinart, packed up and moved there.

In the film, anuptight L.A. talent agent named Max inherits an idyllicOkanaganpeach orchard from an eccentric aunt.

Max travels to theOkanaganin the hopes of quickly selling the orchard to foreign developers. But hislife starts to change as he becomesenchantedwith the countryside and falls for an activist named Olive, who wants to stop the sale.

Twa says her life wound up imitating her film's narrativeafter she and Reinartwho co-createdThe Orchard, working as cinematographer, editor and producer went to scout the filming locations in theOkanagan.

In real life...

JonSummerlandof theOkanaganFilm Commissioner introduced the filmmakers to the lush terrain,vineyards, orchards hills and lake aroundNaramata,PeachlandandPentictonB.C. After,Twa rewrote the film's script based on people they met and places they visited.

Twa and Reinartofficially moved to a cottage in Naramatain April, 2018 and now commuteto Vancouver for work.

The couple bought an old church in Penticton and converted it into afilm production studio and a black box theatre. Twasays that she always thought her career would keep her in bigger cities like Vancouver.

"[But] it doesn't have to be 'this' or 'that.' It can be both. You just have to make it work," says Twa.

Inspiration

Along with filmmaking, Reinartalso works as alawyer inVancouver. It was this experience that inspired The Orchard's storyline.

"I was involved in an estate where there was a fellow from the U.S. who inherited some property here in the Lower Mainland I was surprised at how quickly he wanted to get rid of it, and not connect with the history [and] the family ... He wanted to sell it and get out," Reinarttold Macarenko.

Reinart and Twa feltthis story offered a great jumping off point to explore deepsocial connections within communities.

The Orchard makesits Canadian theatrical debut this week.

Listen to the full interview here:

With files from On the Coast.