Lauren Lee Smith (8/12 CinemaNovel)
Variety 8/6/12: Lauren Lee Smith | CinemaNovel video interview 8/4/12 | Photos | CinemaNovel
Miles preps 'Cinemanovel': Pic reunites 'Tigers' thesps Smith and Beals
By Katherine Brodsky
VANCOUVER -- Lauren Lee Smith ("The Listener") and Jennifer Beals ("The L Word," "Lie to Me") have joined writer-director Terry Miles' indie pic, "Cinemanovel." Smith stars as Grace, a young woman whose estranged father is a famous filmmaker. When he dies, she organizes a retrospective of his films, uncovering destructive patterns in his life that mirror her own. Beals will play Grace's best friend and confidant. The pair previously appeared in Miles' "A Night for Dying Tigers," which played at the Toronto Film Festival in 2010. "Cinemanovel's" $100,000 budget is financed by Miles and Smith, who will also produce with Ines Eisses and Kristine Cofsky attached as co-producers. Miles said, "We decided to self-finance to maintain creative control of the film."
Smith added, "I know we will create a beautiful film and by keeping control of it we can ensure that it will not just get lost in the mix as is the case with so many Canadian indies." The filmmakers have also turned to crowd-funding site Indiegogo to help raise $25,000 "enhancement" funds. Pic is set to go into production September.
© Variety
Excerpt from The Province 8/7/12: Lauren Lee Smith
Vancouver director Terry Miles reteams with Lauren Lee Smith, Jennifer Beals
Posted by: Glen Schaefer August 7, 2012
Vancouver writer-director Terry Miles is reteaming with actor Lauren Lee Smith for the new movie Cinemanovel, which they’re billing as an elegant sexual drama. They plan to start filming here in September. Also among the movie’s cast is Jennifer Beals, who worked with Smith and Miles on 2010′s dark indie drama A Night For Dying Tigers.
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Miles and Smith say they want to keep creative control with Cinemanovel, and to that end they want to bankroll the films themselves, with help from a crowdfunding campaign. They’re targetting the film at next year’s festival season.
© The Province
Excerpt from PR.com 8/9/12: Lauren Lee Smith
Cinemanovel - Terry Miles, Lauren Lee Smith and Jennifer Beals Are Making a Movie
Vancouver, Canada, August 09, 2012 --(PR.com)-- “Lauren Lee Smith’s portrayal recalls Anne Hathaway’s Kym in Rachel Getting Married, with more acrimonious feelings to purge.” - Michael-Oliver Harding (Nightlife)
Cinemanovel Production begins September, 2012
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Festival darling and television star Lauren Lee Smith (Lie With Me, CSI, The Listener) takes on a role with real bite as the complex and beautiful Grace. She’s joined by Jennifer Beals (The L Word, The Anniversary Party), in what could easily be the sexiest arthouse drama of 2013, combining a deep love and appreciation of cinema with emotionally complex existential angst and sexual politics. Written & Directed by A Night For Dying Tigers Writer/Director Terry Miles and featuring a dynamic and attractive cast led by Lauren Lee Smith and Jennifer Beals, Cinemanovel is sure to make an impression in theatres and on the International Film Festival circuit in 2013.
Financing
Terry Miles and Lauren Lee Smith, unable to find a financing model that would allow for full financial and creative control, ie: “Final Cut,” have decided to finance the film themselves.
Indiegogo
Terry and Lauren have launched a campaign at crowdfunding site Indiegogo in order to raise “enhancement” funds for the film. http://www.indiegogo.com/cinemanovel
© PR.com
Excerpt from The L Word Art 1/13: Lauren Lee Smith | Video Intro
Lauren Lee Smith - The L Word Art
The L Word Art: You produce and are the lead actor in the movie “Cinemanovel”, written and directed by Terry Miles; how did this adventure start?
Lauren Lee Smith: "Cinemanovel" came about (for me) after we wrapped on "A night for dying tigers". I had such a wonderful experience on that film and very much enjoyed the way Terry works, he is such a talented writer and director. I had said that I would love to work with him again, and the next day he sent me the script for "Cinemanovel"; I read it that afternoon, called him up and said "We have to do this". 2 years later and many conversations about how to get it made and how to get the funding, we met for coffee in June of this year and said "No more waiting around, let's make it ourselves! We will fund it and we will make it happen!"
TLWA: You play Grace who decides to organize a memorial retrospective of her father films when he dies. Can you tell us more about it?
LLS: Grace has a few journeys that she goes on in this film : she is trying to come to terms with the death of her father, whom she has been estranged from for the last 15 years. She is trying to figure out who he actually was, and what his films meant, and she is also struggling in a marriage that is not fulfilling her at the time we meet Grace. She has quite a bit of baggage when we first meet her, but it is part of the journey that we see her go through in this film.
TLWA: To make the cast, did you organize auditions or did you already know which actor would play the roles?
LLS: Terry and I both had some ideas right off the bat as far as casting goes. We both wanted to have Ben Cotton to play Ben my husband in the film. Terry has worked with him previously and I had been looking for a chance to work with him. Kett Turton who plays Adam was exactly who I pictured the first time I read the script. I have known Kett for 13 years, I think he is an amazing actor and I knew he would be perfect. And of course Jennifer Beals. She was the first person that we sent the script to, we knew that if we had her in this film all would work out! There was no other option for the role of Clementine. Basically we kind of put together a list of our dream cast and we got everyone we wanted and more. We looked at some casting tapes for a few of the roles, but ultimately it got down to people we have worked with or wanted to work with. We were very very lucky!
TLWA: You have already worked on 2 projects with Jennifer Beals; how do you explain this artistic complicity and can we expect more future collaborations?
LLS: I honestly consider it to be such a gift to have had the opportunity to work with Jennifer. On "The L Word", we never really had any scenes together, so I did not get the chance to know her, or have the pleasure of sharing scenes with her. When "A night for dying tigers" came along, I was so thrilled to have that opportunity, and she blew me away. Her abilities as an actress are so very inspiring to me, and she is honestly one of the most beautiful human beings I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, inside and out. So when "Cinemanovel" came about, Terry and I immediately asked her to be a part of it and she graciously accepted. We very much hope to have more opportunities to work together in the future.
TLWA: What has been the most difficult in this film production ? What surprised you the most?
LLS: The most difficult aspect of filming was our time line. We had a short window that I was available before I had to be back in Toronto to shoot. So from the first day we made the decision to our first shooting day was something like a month and a half, which is pure insanity. Getting all the cast in order, locations, equipment, crew, etc, it was all very very quick. But that being said the most surprising thing was that we managed to do it! Everyone came together and somehow it all aligned and people were so very generous with time, and money, and helping us out any way possible, that we somehow managed to do it. Every day of shooting we were all looking at each other going "I can't believe we made this work"!!
TLWA: The shooting ended in october, what will happen next? Will it be presented in festivals and will you make it tour, including in Europe ?
LLS: Principal shooting is finished and now Terry is working furiously to get the edit done, and then we have the very important task of getting the sound mixed, which is integral to a film, and getting some music in there. We really want the film to be the best it possibly can, which is why we started another Indiegogo campaign to help raise funds for that. We have some exciting things we will be auctioning off, Jennifer has donated some items, so we are hoping to raise enough money to get the sound perfect so it can be ready to submit to film festivals for 2013. And yes ideally we would love very much to do a promotional tour, especially throughout Europe!
TLWA: To finance this project, you haved used Indiegogo; do you think collaborative platforms are the only way to make independents films today?
LLS: Indiegogo really gave us that extra push that helped out allot. Making an independent film these days is so so difficult, especially if you want to keep all creative control of your film, which is exactly what Terry and I insisted on. So having these sites like Indiegogo truly can help to make it a reality. We were truly overwhelmed by the generosity of so many people, but also it gives people a chance to be a part of the behind the scenes movie making experience, and to help make independent films still happen.
TLWA: Do you already know what your next cinematograpic projects will be ?
LLS: Right now I'm shooting season four of "The Listener" but it looks like Terry and I will be shooting a short film in February. After that, we will see! Terry has several scripts that are all equally fantastic and I hope to be a part of them:)
Lauren Lee Smith has a message for you about her brand new movie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gE_ZsZ7goI
© The L Word Art
Excerpt from We Vancouver 5/23/13: Lauren Lee Smith
The Listener's Lauren Lee Smith's peripatetic life
By Martha Perkins - Published: May 23, 2013 12:00 PM
When shooting the CTV series wraps up, she’ll be able to dedicate more time to Cinemanovel, a feature film she’s starring in and producing with Terry Miles, who calls it “a love letter to cinema.” The two worked together on his previous film, The Night for Dying Tigers (which is available only in the US on Netflix), and their new venture once again features Jennifer Beals as well as Ben Cotton, Gabrielle Rose and Catherine Michaud. Smith plays the estranged daughter of a prominent Canadian filmmaker. After he dies, she goes through his films to create a memorial and discovers that self-destructive patterns can also be inherited.
© We Vancouver
Revive 7/13: Lauren Lee Smith | YouTube
Listening in on Lauren Lee Smith: CTV's The Listener Actress Dishes on Being a Model, Actor, and Vagabond and What It Is about Her That Shocks People the Most
Since the age of 18, Lauren Lee Smith is grateful that she has worked exclusively in acting. While completing he fourth season of CTV's The Listener, Smith is currently working on the finishing touches of Cinemanovel, a film that she produced and starred in.
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Many celebrities evolve into the production field at some point in their career. It has been said that many of them choose to produce to maintain creative control over the film erected. Smith is no different as she undertakes the roles of actress and producer in Cinemanovel with Terry Miles, an individual in the industry whom she greatly admires. Smith's love of film evolved from the storytelling aspect of small independent films. She notes the film industry is competitive one where financiers and producers are reluctant to allocate funding to films that do not include the latest special effects and CGI. In fact, that's why after several proposals and demands from the financiers to make creative changes, Smith and Miles decided to produce the film themselves. "Terry Miles is a genius at what he does. He's amazing at getting micro-budget films made that look incredible," says Smith. "He's an insanely talented writer where his characters are very complex and interesting. So I really just thought that this was an opportunity to jump in and help get this movie made."
© Revive
Excerpt from Hollywood Reporter 8/20/13: Lauren Lee Smith
Toronto: 'Cinemanovels' Trailer Asks 'Are You Happy?' (Exclusive Video)
2:41 PM PDT 8/20/2013 by Rebecca Ford
Are you happy? That's the first question asked in the new trailer for Cinemanovels, which will have its world premiere at the 2013 Toronto Film Festival in the Contemporary World Cinema category. The Hollywood Reporter exclusively hosts the trailer for the film, which stars Lauren Lee Smith as a young woman who makes a memorial film retrospective for her late estranged father. Soon his work begins to influence her life in strange and significant ways. In the trailer, a friend (Jennifer Beals) of Smith's character asks her if she's happy, and the rest of the video shows her looking quite sad and introspective as she goes about creating the project for her late dad. Directed by Terry Miles, Cinemanovels also stars Ben Cotton, Katharine Isabelle and Kett Turton. It was produced by Miles, Kristine Cofsky and Lauren Lee Smith and executive produced by Beals. Below are the Toronto showtimes for the film:
Friday, September 6, 2013, 6:15 p.m. -- Scotiabank Theatre 4, Toronto, ON
Saturday, September 7, 2013, 9:15 p.m. -- Scotiabank Theatre 11, Toronto, ON
Sunday, September 15, 2013, 12:00 p.m. -- Scotiabank Theatre 11, Toronto, ON
Watch the exclusive trailer above. The Toronto International Film Festival runs Sept. 5-15.
© Hollywood Reporter
Excerpt from IndieWire 8/30/13: Lauren Lee Smith
Exclusive: Clip & Poster For TIFF Contemporary World Cinema Entry 'Cinemanovels'
by Kevin Jagernauth August 30, 2013 3:56 PM
Here's the full synopsis: Grace (Lauren Lee Smith) had not spoken to her recently deceased father, the fabled Québécois filmmaker John Laurentian, in years. So even she's surprised when, on a trip to pick up some of his belongings, she offers to help put together a retrospective of his work. Not only has she not seen any of it (their rift was spectacularly traumatic), she knows nothing about curating. She's also a shut-in who rarely ventures outside the condo she shares with her husband, Ben (Ben Cotton). Grace struggles along fitfully, dozing off while watching her father's movies (all of them involving love triangles), and discussing her inertia with her confidante, Clem (Jennifer Beals). By happenstance, she meets Adam (Kett Turton), a neighbour who's an expert on all things Laurentian and offers to help her out. As Grace digs deeper into her father's life and work - and after a disturbing encounter with his long-time lover and lead actress Sophie (Gabrielle Rose) - she finds herself taking on his persona. The dramedy will screen at TIFF next week.
© IndieWire
Excerpt from Blouin ArtInfo 9/10/13: Lauren Lee Smith
"Cinemanovels": Lauren Lee Smith on the Advantages of Independence
by Mark Mann 10/09/13 7:00 PM EDT
“There isn’t any CGI or special effects,” lead actress and producer Lauren Lee Smith explained to BLOUIN ARTINFO Canada. “It’s a very small, character-driven story.” Except for a small Indiegogo fundraising campaign, Smith and Miles financed the film themselves, despite other funding offers, so as to protect the integrity of their subtle tale .
“Cinemanovels” meticulously traces the unraveling of Grace, a reclusive housewife played by Smith, as she grapples with the legacy of her recently deceased father, the fictitious Quebecois filmmaker John Laurentien. For all but Grace, Laurentien enjoys legendary status as an auteur, though in her eyes he is the paradigmatic self-involved artist, who left the family early on to take up with his muse Sophie (Gabrielle Rose). We meet Grace as she and her partner Ben (Ben Cotton) attempt to conceive, but unable to express her unwillingness to have a child, Grace secretly pays the daughter of her best friend Clem (Jennifer Beals) to provide her with birth control pills. Despite her loathing for the man, Grace gets caught up in an impulsive project to stage a retrospective of her father’s films, and finds herself suddenly buffeted by her abandonment issues. “She goes into a downward spiral and starts to mimic what is happening in her father’s films,” explains Smith. Miles intersperses “Cinemanovels” with well-imagined segments from Laurentien’s films, fodder for Grace’s semi-conscious reenactments as she imitates the words and gestures of her father's muse.
Prior to “Cinemanovels,” Smith acted mostly on television (including as a regular on “The L Word”) until 2005 when she took a leading role in Clement Virgo’s “Lie With Me” - a part that garnered her a reputation as gutsy, tactile actor, and also brought her to TIFF for the first time. She then starred in Terry Zwigoff’s “Art School Confidential” shortly thereafter and in 2010 went on to join Miles’s third feature film “A Night for Dying Tigers,” about an odd and unhappy family reunion, which also premiered at TIFF. Smith and Miles became close on that set, and he sent her the script for “Cinemanovels” immediately after shooting concluded. “I believed in this movie since I first read the script. Terry has such a talent for creating these extremely complex and delicate characters,” Smith says, and adds, “I’m on board with anything that Terry wants to do in the future.”
“Cinemanovels” exemplifies the new potential of independent cinema to achieve a polished look on a small budget, whether through rigorous planning or the accessibility of high-quality equipment and software. Nothing about this film betrays its tiny, five-member crew or the fact that the lead actress doubles as the producer, and the director takes on cameraman duties. “It’s the first time I’ve also been on the other side - the producing side, the decision-making side,” says Smith. “I didn’t and I don’t really know what a producer does, but I do know when it is your own money that is making the film happen, suddenly every decision becomes way more important,” she explains. “It was very different than how I usually prepare for a role. I didn’t have the luxury of taking my time before each scene, because I was doing hair and make-up for the other actors, moving equipment, or setting up lights.”
All the hat switching didn’t disturb Smith’s ability to channel Grace’s character, however, as she’d already been thinking about the role for two years before the film took place, while she and Miles searched for backers. Though some companies offered to finance the film, in the end the pair turned all proposals down. “It comes down to control,” explains Smith. “Most people that are lending their money want to have their hand in the pot also, and that is one thing that Terry and I both agreed would not work. We decided to do it ourselves to make sure that exactly the film we envisioned is exactly the film the audience sees.”
The film they envisioned reveals a deeply nuanced character in Grace, though it does make something of a cliché out of the “legendary Quebecois filmmaker.” The vignettes from Laurentien’s films suggest a teasing undercurrent in their melodramatic art-house staging and winking faux-sophistication. A ribbing is just a ribbing, however, and the humor fits with the tragic comedy of Grace’s existential experiments (including infidelity). “It’s a movie for movie-lovers,” says Smith, indicating those who admire character-driven plotlines, but also the cinéphiles who will see their own enthusiasm reflected in the invention of Laurentian as the archetypical auteur. “We only get to know him through his visions,” says Smith. “Cinemanovels” hinges on those visions; for Laurentian to realize them, he had to go his own way, which meant making sacrifices. For Smith and Miles, it's much the same. Grace finds some freedom in the end, but the filmmakers don't serve it up with a bow: it still feels complicated. Whatever a larger budget may have afforded, "Cinemanovels" retains a complex vision, exactly the one that Smith and Miles gave themselves the freedom to produce.
© BLOUIN ARTINFO Canada
Excerpt from Exclaim 9/19/13: Lauren Lee Smith
Cinemanovels Directed by Terry Miles
By Robert Bell
Grace, as a character, is extremely unconventional and even a tad enigmatic. She's socially limited, confiding only in her more conventional, well-adjusted friend Clem (Jennifer Beals) and has little emotional interest in her simplistic but well-intentioned husband Ben (Ben Cotton). She puts on the facade that she wants to have children with Ben but replaces his sperm sample with soap at a fertility clinic and seems genuinely indifferent to his tendency to lie to her about going for a run when he's really going to a bar.
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As presented by Terry Miles and performed with idiosyncratic whimsy by Lauren Lee Smith, this floundering sense of self has a broad sitcom sensibility, more goofy than it is cathartic or comprehensive.
© Exclaim
Excerpt from The Independent 9/19/13: Lauren Lee Smith
TIFF 2013: When Movies Bring On- and Off-Screen Families Together. Katherine Brodsky crashes a reunion with "Cinemanovels'" key actors and writer/director Terry Miles.
September 19th, 2013 | Katherine Brodsky
This may well be a cautionary tale of having good email etiquette. After wrapping Terry Miles' A Night for Dying Tigers (2010) actress Lauren Lee Smith sent Miles a note thanking him for the experience and saying how great it would be to work together again some day. Next thing she knew, she was attached to star in his next project, Cinemanovels, which premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.
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Smith found her character Grace’s journey and the many types of relationships she's had in her life most appealing. "That's what I was really interested in," she explains about playing the lead role. "That's what I think Terry is genius at-writing these complicated, intricate characters with a lot of baggage."
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To make Cinemanovels, Miles and Smith ended up breaking the number one rule of show business: Never put your own money in the picture. Around this time last year, Smith explains, "We'd been trying to get this film off the ground, trying to find the right producers and money people and not having any luck so we had coffee and said, ‘We can do this, we can do this for very little money and we can make it happen.’"
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So what is Miles like as a captain? "So super focused," says Smith. "It's crazy to watch him, I can't begin to understand how he's seeing everything he sees. His directing style is very open but he also knows exactly what he wants."
Beyond just the story, for Beals, the attraction to Cinemanovels was the second chance to work with both Smith and Miles. "I wanted to come play," she admits. "I wanted to go back and be part of the Terry Miles family and work with Lauren again in one-on-one scenes.” Now that the family is together again, they don't seem to want to leave, and already have another script they'd like to collaborate on.
© AIVF
Excerpt from Straight.com 9/27/13: Lauren Lee Smith
The Georgia Straight proudly sponsors Cinemanovels at VIFF 2013
by Staff on Sep 27, 2013 at 12:09 pm
The Vancouver International Film Festival presents Cinemanovels as part of its 2013 Canadian Images program. Cinemanovels screens at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway) on October 2 at 6:30 p.m. and at SFU Woodwards (149 West Hastings Street) on October 10 at 1:15 p.m.
© Straight.com
Excerpt from Vancouver Observer 9/30/13: Lauren Lee Smith
VIFF picks for Wednesday and Thursday
Volkmar Richter Posted: Sep 30th, 2013
For instance, there are too many sex scenes here. Sure, Lauren Lee Smith is gorgeous and did even more in Lie With Me but here they harm the story. As one of the producers she should have ordered there be less sex.
© Vancouver Observer
Globe and Mail 10/2/13: Lauren Lee Smith
VIFF Review: Cinemanovels
Brad Wheeler Published Wednesday, Oct. 02 2013, 9:00 AM EDT
This nicely quirky drama features excellent Vancouver apartments and a story about the estranged daughter (portrayed by an affecting Lauren Lee Smith) of a recently deceased, famous and fictitious francophone filmmaker, John Laurentian.
© Globe and Mail
Excerpt from YVR Shoots 10/10/13: Cinemanovels
VIFF: Last Screening of Best BC Film Runnerup CINEMANOVELS Today
October 10, 2013
The Vancouver International Film Festival runnerup for Best B.C. Film has its last VIFF screening today at 1:15 p.m. at the SFU Woodwards Theatre. Inspired by Krzysztof Kieslowski’s Three Colors Trilogy, Vancouver filmmaker Terry Miles follows a central female character Grace (Lauren Lee Smith) in Cinemanovels as she reluctantly gets to know her estranged and famous father John Laurentian after his death by agreeing to curate a restrospective of his art cinema films. Miles joked there should have been a drinking game for every time Grace looks sad in his film, but the audience would be incapacitated.
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Cast Lauren Lee Smith, Ben Cotton and Jennifer Beals couldn’t make the screening.
© YVR Shoots
Excerpt from Indie Wire 1/13/14: Lauren Lee Smith
Vimeo to Premiere 13 Films from The Toronto International Film Festival
by Paula Bernstein January 13, 2014 10:06 AM
Today, Vimeo announced that 13 films which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival will make their digital debut in 2014 exclusive on Vimeo On Demand.
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The full list of Festival films premiering on Vimeo On Demand in 2014 includes: "Cinemanovels," directed by Terry Miles
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The films will become available between now and May 2014, starting with "Little Feet," which is currently available for pre-order on Vimeo will be available beginning on March 21, 2014.
© Indie Wire
Excerpt Double Dutch Media 1/16/14: Lauren Lee Smith
Monterey Media Acquires Cinemanovels for US
Jan 16, 2014 Author: Deadline
Monterey has acquired another TIFF debut, Cinemanovels, with an eye toward a summer theatrical release.
© Double Dutch
GAT 7/9/14: Lauren Lee Smith
Cinemanovels, a film by Terry Miles, opens in Toronto - July 18, Carlton Cinema
Video Services Corp.presents Cinemanovels a film by Terry Miles
Opens July 18 Toronto - Carlton Cinema - 20 Carlton St.
Official Selection
Toronto International Film Festival
Vancouver International Film Festival
“Lauren Lee Smith is sensational in the lead role…dynamic and fully believable characters…a unique authentic energy” - Cinemablographer
© GAT
Excerpt from Hollywood Reporter 7/13/14: Lauren Lee Smith
'Cinemanovels': Film Review
2:43 PM PDT 7/13/2014 by John DeFore
A tour of U.S. indie theaters will rely solely on the name recognition value of lead actress Lauren Lee Smith and supporting player Jennifer Beals, who've shared the small screen before on The L Word. The film will quickly join Miles' earlier straight-to-DVD outings Dawn Rider and Recoil.
© Hollywood Reporter
Excerpt from Monerey Media 8/6/14: Lauren Lee Smith
TIFF FESTIVAL FAVORITE CINEMANOVELS AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, DVD AND VOD AUGUST 26TH
Los Angeles, CA (August 6, 2014) - monterey media announces the August 26th Digital Download, DVD and VOD release of Terry Miles's TIFF festival favorite Cinemanovels starring Jennifer Beals ("The L Word", The Book of Eli, Flashdance) and Lauren Lee Smith (" The Listener ").
"Smith... floods her aloof, often selfish character with vulnerability and crack comic timing. You never tire of her." - LA Weekly
"Smith navigates the emotional terrain with great skill." - Chicago Tribune
© Monterey Media