Yellowknife (Jan 08/07) - One of the NWT's favourite authors is about to make an impact in the movie world -- though he hopes much of that impact is felt at home.

The Lesser Blessed, Fort Smith author Richard Van Camp's first novel, is set to be made into a movie by Toronto-based production company First Generation Films, a development Van Camp hopes will lead to a Northern production.

Fort Smith author Richard Van Camp speaks during a book launch for Dogrib elder George Blondin in Yellowknife last fall. Van Camp's first novel, The Lesser Blessed, is set to be made into a film by a Toronto-based company. - NNSL file photo

"My dream is to have this film shot in the North," he said during a stay-over in Yellowknife.

The book, which Van Camp released in 1996, follows a teenager's coming-of-age in Fort Simmer, a fictional Northern community reminiscent of Behchoko, Fort Smith, Hay River and Pine Point.

"The book took five years to write and two years to sell," Van Camp said. "It's been an incredible journey ever since."

The biggest challenge now, he said, is the lack of funding initiatives and rebates available to

filmmakers in the NWT.

He said these incentives do not match up with other provinces or the Yukon - whose Film and Sound Commission has already made offers to have the film made there.

Van Camp hopes this can change, and change quickly.

"Lesser Blessed is the trailblazer for other future films," he said. "All it's going to take is one movie to be made in the North properly.

"There are spinoffs we can't imagine in terms of tourism, jobs, mentoring, training and resume-building for other productions."

The film is set to be directed by Canadian filmmaker Anita Doron (The End of Silence), who also wrote the script.

"Nobody loves The Lesser Blessed more than Anita Doron," Van Camp said. "It's an adaptation of the novel, and it's brilliant."

With pre-production beginning in July and filming beginning in August or September, Van Camp said time is short to ensure The Lesser Blessed becomes a truly Northern production.

"We need these incentives to come sooner than later. We are sitting on a gold mine of talent in the NWT, so let's use it.

"Let's show the world what we can do; let's show the world how beautiful the NWT is."