Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

THEBACHA/FORT SMITH
The Lesser Blessed - a film based on the novel of the same name by Richard Van Camp of Fort Smith - will have its NWT premiere in the South Slave community.

Joel Evans: Fort Smith teenager stars in lead role in movie The Lesser Blessed.

Mayor Janie Hobart said the film will premiere on Oct. 1, the town's birthday.

"We're just thrilled that the NWT premiere is going to be here," she said.

Hobart said both Van Camp and Joel Evans - a 16-year-old Fort Smith actor who stars as the lead character, Larry - are scheduled to attend the premiere.

"We'll have a red carpet and the paparazzi and what have you as part of the event," the mayor said. "We had to work pretty hard to get it here."

She explained that work mainly focused on trying to get the producer and the director to also come to the NWT premiere in Fort Smith.

"We're hoping to get them," she said. "We're not sure."

As for her reference to paparazzi, Hobart said members of the community's photography group and young people will be encouraged to take photos along the red carpet to create a Hollywood feel at the event.

An organizing committee is being put together to work on all the details of the premiere, which will be held in the gym of Paul William Kaeser High School.

Speaking from Edmonton, Van Camp said he is "over the moon" that The Lesser Blessed is going to be showing in Fort Smith.

"We're going to honour the spirit of the old Purple Cow movie theatre, the movie theatre I used to go to when I was a kid," he said. "We're going to bring it back for one night, one night only."

Van Camp also recognized the role of his hometown and his high school in the creation of his novel and now the movie.

"Without Fort Smith or PWK High, The Lesser Blessed never would have happened," he said. "It's been a seven-year journey and it's been worth it every step of the way."

After the event, the town will have a fireworks display as it did last year on Oct. 1, the date the Town of Fort Smith was incorporated in 1966.

It has become the day on which the town holds its annual general meeting and presents an annual report to residents. This year, that AGM will be held later in the first week of October.

The Lesser Blessed is also scheduled to screen at the Toronto International Film Festival, which runs from Sept. 6 to 16.

The novel and now the movie is the story of a young Tlicho man living in the fictional community of Fort Simmer, dealing with the challenges of growing up and with the past.

- with files from Nicole Garbutt

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.