Mayerthorpe is on its way to hitting the international small screen

By Laura Bohnert

Mayerthorpe’s small town rural feel may be making its way to Berlin this summer.

Back in 2014, Mayerthorpe made the backdrop to writer, director, and producer Kristine Nutting’s short film, ‘The Sound and Fury of Barbie and Clive.’ Mayerthorpe has also been selected as the filming location for the feature length version of the film.

“Filming is currently awaiting funding to take place,” explains Nutting. “This means we are on hold. For now, the short film is being released across Canada and has a presentation scheduled in Berlin this summer.”

“It is the goal that the short film will help us secure further funding,” Nutting adds, “as film is expensive!”

“Mayerthorpe is an excellent location,” Nutting explains. “The small town has been preserved and, unlike other towns, it retains the original prairie charm. There are no large box stores, and the landscape is charming.”

“Furthermore, the people of Mayerthorpe are exceptional. Our experience filming there was unlike any other I have ever witnessed,” states Nutting, who has been involved in the film industry since 2012. “The townspeople were helpful and kind and generous. Honestly, the whole film crew was mystified and delighted by this town.”

“Our Director of Photography, Immanuel Hick, who works full time in Berlin and around the world as a filmmaker, described it as magic,” Nutting adds. “He is eager to come back for the full shoot.”

The filming process experienced the benefit of Mayerthorpe’s charm as well: “There were no challenges, only advantages, to making the film in Mayerthorpe,” Nutting emphasizes, “and that is because we had the support of the entire town!”

Although Nutting intends to film the feature-length version of her film in Mayerthorpe, the process of developing ‘The Sound and Fury of Barbie and Clive’ into a full feature promises a few challenges: “This is a difficult process,” Nutting explains. “The monies for a feature film are difficult to secure but more than that, it is hard to get experienced crew up to Mayerthorpe.”

But those challenges won’t stop Nutting from once again casting Mayerthorpe as the backdrop of her film: “It is so important [to incorporate Canada’s smaller towns, like Mayerthorpe, into the film industry] because these small towns are really where so many of us came from,” Nutting explains. “These small communities are the backbone of our history, and they provide wonderful locations and cast members for a movie that can reflect our unique experience here in the prairies.”

Nutting is currently working on a cross-Canada tour of a 22-person play called ‘Devour Content Here’. “It’s a beautiful piece about the dirty thirties and the drought that very much reflects our experience in Alberta now.”

If you are interested in checking out some of Nutting’s work, you can follow her at https://kristine-nutting.squarespace.com/. You can also watch the trailer for ‘The Sound and Fury of Barbie and Clive’ at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hknpeCS80Vc&feature=youtu.be and ‘Devour Content Here’ at https://vimeo.com/155025244.