P.E.I. filmmaker to digitally debut project at Atlantic film festival

Although the audiencewill not be packing into a crowded theatre, one P.E.I. filmmaker is finding a silver lining for the premiere of a majorproject at an East Coast festival that is going ahead this fall despite COVID-19.

Summerside's Susan Rodgers will be releasingStill the Water at the hybrid FIN Atlantic International Film Festival this September.

"Everything has changed, of course, and in a way, that's a good thing because the film, the screening won't be limited to people who can just physically hop into seats at the theatre," Rodgers toldMainstreet P.E.I. host Matt Rainnie.

Even though movie theatresreopened a month ago in Charlottetown, with physical distancing and other health measures in place to limit the spread ofcoronavirus, the Halifax-based festival has gone digital this year, which means Islanders can still take in the Island scenery, hockey and lobster fishing featured in the film on their own TV screens from the couch.

"People in Summerside won't have to leave the comfort of their homes. They can watch the film from here," Rodgers said.

Watch the full trailer for Susan Rodgers' film Still the Water:

Rodgers was thrilled when the work she wrote, directed and produced on the Island was accepted for the film festival.

She pulledback the curtain and sharedwhat it tookto get a movie off the ground inseries of video posts on Facebook in 2018.

"It's been a long journey to get to this point, so yeah, it's exciting. It's also a little nerve-racking."

In the story, which Rodgers said is geared to audiences from the Atlantic Provinces who could relate to the Island scenery,two brothers come together after tragedy tears them apart.

"The film takes them on a journey of kind of pulling apart before they can reconnect," Rodgers said.

"It's really a story about forgiveness and hope."

Rodgers said she typically feels most at home while on set, but especially when shooting aproject in her home province thatfeaturesmusic made on P.E.I.

Nicolle Morrison was theexecutive producer and CBC's Rick Gibbs was the producer.

People can go to the website to purchase tickets and stream the film at their convenience anytime between midnight on Sept. 17 and midnight on Sept. 25.

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