Screening of A Last Wish, examining family, love and loss, set for The Willow Cafe in the Beach on Aug. 6
By ILANNA SHARON MANDEL
Fourteen years ago on a blistery winter day, we buried my father. My mom had died many years before on a quiet summer night alone in front of the television.
Before cancer took my dad, he was a beloved educator at Beth David Synagogue in Toronto, Beth Jacob Synagogue in Regina, and the Talmud Torah in Winnipeg. Durng his illness, I kept thinking back to the stories he told me of his mother, the grandmother I never knew, and her battle with the same cancer.
A Last Wish is a film inspired by the journey he and I took together during those long days when the illness began to claim his body. The film’s narrative focuses on the choices we make when a loved one asks us to honour them in a way we would never consider possible.
This film would never have been made without the group that surrounded me with support, creative talent, and a passion for independent filmmaking. The film was directed by a young, emerging director, Leah Rifkin.
Leah took a deeply emotional story and framed it into a narrative with a sense of hope and love.
“At the time this film was produced, I was still figuring out my voice as a filmmaker and director. It was a fantastic experience to flex my leadership muscles and bring a group of people together to create something impactful to an audience who does not have much representation – those considering of physician assisted suicide for themselves or a loved one. Despite having limited resources to make the film, we made it happen,” said Leah.
Noteworthy performances were made by actors Channah Cohen, Peter Higginson, Elizabeth Durand, and Stephanie Brister. Leah’s family also offered us additional locations such as an apartment where crucial scenes were filmed.
Two Beach cafes are figured prominently in this journey.
The Remarkable Bean served as a background for several key scenes. Its subtle, quiet tones offered the actors a charming environment for the dramatic dialogue.
The newly opened Willow Café will host the screening of the film on the evening of Thursday, Aug. 6. This café, decorated by the owner is inviting and stunning in décor offering visitors a tranquil visit over coffee and pastries.
Independent filmmaking is as the saying goes; a labour of love. The owner of the new Willow Café, Marianne Stacey, is offering an unparalleled opportunity to screen my film at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 6.
This lovely summer evening event is listed on Eventbrite, and the screening will be followed by a Q and A with myself and Leah Rifkin.
The making of A Last Wish is a daughter’s way of saying thank you to parents who encouraged me to live the creative life and believe in the stories only I can tell.
Please join us for the premiere screening of A Last Wish – a journey of love and loss on Aug. 6. It is a thought-provoking and powerful short film.
Tickets can be purchased for $10 at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/film-event-a-last-wish-presented-by-the-screenwriterproducer-tickets-1993618528686?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
