Songs She Wrote About People She Knows
Songs She Wrote About People She Knows is a Canadian musical comedy film, released in 2014. The solo directorial debut of Kris Elgstrand,[1] the film stars Arabella Bushnell as Carol, a shy, repressed office worker who begins expressing her frustrations with her friends and coworkers in song after being encouraged by a music therapist to open up about her feelings.[1]
Songs She Wrote About People She Knows | |
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Film poster | |
Directed by | Kris Elgstrand |
Produced by | Amy Belling Kris Elgstrand Thea Grivakes |
Written by | Kris Elgstrand |
Starring |
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Music by | Chris Gestrin |
Cinematography | Amy Belling |
Edited by | Alex Leigh Barker |
Production company | A Blue Car Films Champagne Roll Productions Legstand |
Distributed by | MarVista Entertainment |
Release date |
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Running time | 80 minutes |
Country | Canada |
Language | English |
Her song "Asshole Dave" leads her boss Dave (Brad Dryborough) to fire her, but also reignites his own faded dream of becoming a rock star,[2] setting them both off on a journey of creative discovery in which they may need each other's help more than they expected.[3] Bushnell described the film as a story about people finding themselves and connecting with each other without using sex to do it.[4]
The film had its premiere screening on September 8, 2014 at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.[5]
The film received three Canadian Screen Award nominations at the 4th Canadian Screen Awards in 2016, in the categories of Best Costume Design (Bushnell), Best Original Score (Chris Gestrin) and Best Original Song (Elgstrand for "Asshole Dave").[6]
References
- Glen Schaefer, "Director seeks big audience for small films". The Province, September 20, 2014.
- Marsha Lederman, "Vancouver is ‘a real hotbed for indie work,’ says filmmaker Kris Elgstrand". The Globe and Mail, September 24, 2014.
- Chris Knight, "Songs She Wrote About People She Knows, reviewed: Music at work". National Post, April 23, 2015.
- Melora Koepke, "Vancouver friends unite on Songs She Wrote About People She Knows". The Georgia Straight, April 22, 2015.
- "TIFF List 2014: The Complete Toronto International Film Festival Lineup With Grade Averages". IndieWire, September 4, 2014.
- Brent Furdyk, "2016 Canadian Screen Awards Nominees Announced". ET Canada, January 19, 2016.