I'll Never Get to Heaven
| I'll Never Get to Heaven | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Kathleen M. Turner |
| Directed by | Stefan Scaini |
| Starring | Amy Stewart Wendy Crewson Victor Garber |
| Music by | Eric Robertson |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producer | Flora Macdonald |
| Cinematography | Nikos Evdemon |
| Editors | John Frizzell Joann McIntyre Ron Wisman |
| Running time | 92 minutes |
| Production company | Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBC Television |
| Release | January 31, 1993 |
I'll Never Get to Heaven is a Canadian comedy-drama television film, directed by Stefan Scaini and released in 1993.[1]
Set in Toronto in the 1960s, the film stars Amy Stewart as Margaret, a 13-year-old girl whose life changes radically when her father abandons the family. She and her mother Cassie (Wendy Crewson) move back in with Margaret's grandparents John (Sean McCann) and Trea (Patricia Gage), where Cassie begins a new romance with widowed photographer Eric (Victor Garber), while Margaret befriends Betty (Aidan Pendleton), a girl whose rebellious attitude toward the nuns at their Catholic school challenges Margaret's adherence to the strict religious values she was raised with.[2]
The cast also includes Susan Wright as Betty's eccentric aunt and caretaker Dora, as well as Samantha Follows, Marc Marut, Dylan Neal, Illya Woloshyn and Sheila Heti in supporting roles.
The film drew on aspects of the real-life childhood of screenwriter Kathleen M. Turner, but she stressed that it was not meant to be understood as autobiographical.[3]
It aired on January 31, 1993, on CBC Television.[4]
Awards
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini Awards | March 6, 1994 | Best TV Movie | Flora Macdonald | Nominated | [5] |
| Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series | Wendy Crewson | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Program or Series | Susan Wright | Nominated | |||
| Best Writing in a Dramatic Mini-Series | Kathleen M. Turner | Nominated | |||
| Best Production Design or Art Direction | Perri Gorrara, Ane Christensen | Won | [6] | ||
| Best Costume Design | Frances Dafoe | Nominated |
References
- ^ Greg Kennedy, "Girls explore ageless issues; Heart-rending saga shares moral dilemmas of prissy, '60s Toronto". Edmonton Journal, January 30, 1993.
- ^ Bonnie Malleck, "Film tweaks Catholic school memories". Waterloo Region Record, January 30, 1993.
- ^ Mike Boone, "Coming-of-age drama drawn from writer's life; CBC film is up against Super Bowl". Montreal Gazette, January 30, 1993.
- ^ John Haslett Cuff, "Catholicism squeezed out of the tube: Pat and predictable and full of obvious caricatures, this CBC movie about repressive religion is pretty tame stuff". The Globe and Mail, January 30, 1993.
- ^ Tony Atherton, "Geminis shine on local shows; The Tin Soldier earns three nominations". Ottawa Citizen, January 26, 1994.
- ^ Christopher Harris, "CTV News takes three Geminis". The Globe and Mail, March 4, 1994.