(August 30, 2016 – Toronto, ON) If you’ve never heard of Canadian painter Maude Lewis, that’s okay. You’re about to learn about her in a new film that’s making its way through the film festivals. The film is titled Maudie and it’s based on the true story of the Nova Scotian woman who overcame physical challenges to become a beloved and successful folk artist. Directed by Dublin-born Aisling Walsh from a screenplay by Sherry White, Maudie costars include Ethan Hawke the reclusive Everett Lewis, Sally Hopkins as Maud and Gemini Award-winning actor Kari Matchett in the role of Sandra, an American art collector who spends her summers in Nova Scotia. Sandra and Maud strike up an unlikely and lasting friendship.
Sandra is based on a collage of various real-life collectors and people who knew Maud. Shot in Newfoundland, the film is set in Marshalltown, Nova Scotia in 1937, and charts Everett falling in love with Maudie, her deep and abiding love for him and her rise to fame as a folk painter.
“Maudie is more than a film, it is an homage to a woman who defines the strength of the human spirit. It is a thoughtful and beautifully told biography, and I am excited to share this inspiring story with audiences at TIFF and around the word,” said Matchett, who now lives in Los Angeles. “It was an honour to work with such an incredible cast and crew, and to get to film this in Canada – Newfoundland is one of the most gorgeous and pristine places on earth.”
The 36th Atlantic Film Festival kicks off on September 15 and runs until September 22. Maudie screens at TIFF on September 12 and 13. Click here for links to those and other September 2016 film festivals.
