117 minutes – Drama
Language: English
Festival release date: September 1, 2022 – Venice Film Festival
Release date: May 12, 2023
Production companies: F F Films Inc
Canadian distributor: MDFF (Medium Density Fibreboard Films)
A perfect summer day ends in tragedy, weaving a cosmic connection between three suburban teenagers. Best friends Colton and Kyle float in the river, trade dreams, and spray-paint in the local ravine. Like the boys, Whitney explores the ravine, seeking solace by writing and drawing in her diary. But when her best friend abandons her, Whitney disappears. The kids’ lives swirl with natural wonder and beauty, but darkness and death loom not far behind. The discovery of Whitney’s diary transports us to a mirror world. A magical ravine. A paranormal encounter. The return of a dead black cat. Is this a dream? The afterlife? Once deeply connected, are we ever really alone?
The Maiden is the debut feature of Edmonton-born writer-director Graham Foy. It won the Cinema of the Future award at the Venice Film Festival.
“Foy arrives as a filmmaker with an indisputable gift for atmosphere and a forthright faith in the potential of cinema to grasp the ungraspable, say the unsayable, and strive for meaning out beyond the edges.” Jessica Kiang, Variety.
“The Maiden belongs to a long Canadian tradition of cinematic tales revolving around young people growing up, forming close bonds, and together learning about the sometimes shocking nature of the world they’re going to inherit as adults.” Andrew Parker, TheGATE.ca
NOTE: It appears almost the entire cast make their film debut in this production. We have been unable to find additional credits for them and have not created individual pages at this time. One exception is the screenwriter Cheryl Foggo, who makes a cameo in The Maiden.
Daiva Žalnieriunas
Dan Montgomery
Donovan M. Boden
Emily Harris
Diane McArter
Candice Napoleone
Kelly Jeffrey
Brendan Mills
Erika Lobko
Jackson Sluiter
Marcel T. Jiménez
Hayley Ness
Kaleb Blough
Siena Yee
Charlotte Clarke
Dustin Whetton
Clem Martini
Macaulay Peterson
Diana Prus
Cheryl Foggo
Heathley Paine Cambaliza
Adrienne Fossheim
Kolby Zell
Tre Davies
Kyle Street
Gabrielle Macintosh
Mia Genyk
Liam Workman
Beatrice Malitowski
Jayson Kyliuk
Eleanor Henderson
Kyle
Colton
Whitney
Tucker
June
Charlotte
English Teacher & Football Coach
Guidance Counsellor
Terry
Shop Teacher
Teacher
Heathley
Colton’s Mom
Colton’s Brother
Stoner 1
Stoner 2
Stoner 3
Stoner 4
Stoner 5
Makeout Kid
Makeout Kid
Woman Dancing in Window
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First published as Northernstars.net February 1, 1998
ISSN 2563 4895