The Divide (2011)

Director:

Xavier Gens

Writers (WGA):

Karl Mueller (written by) and
Eron Sheean (written by)

Release Date:

20 April 2012 (Ireland)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

To survive the end of the world you must first survive each other.

Plot:

Survivors of a nuclear attack are grouped together for days in the basement of their apartment building, where fear and dwindling supplies wear away at their dynamic.

Plot Keywords:

Explosion | Basement | Nuclear Explosion | Shelter | Throat Slitting

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Lauren German	...	Eva
Michael Biehn	...	Mickey
Milo Ventimiglia	...	Josh
Courtney B. Vance	...	Delvin
Ashton Holmes	...	Adrien
Rosanna Arquette	...	Marilyn
Iván González	...	Sam
Michael Eklund	...	Bobby
Abbey Thickson	...	Wendi
Jennifer Blanc	...	Liz

Directed by
Xavier Gens

Writing credits (WGA)
Karl Mueller		(written by) and
Eron Sheean		(written by)

Produced by
Ross Bryan	....	executive producer
Jamie Carmichael	....	executive producer
Ross M. Dinerstein	....	producer
Rodolphe Guglielmi	....	co-executive producer
Juliette Hagopian	....	producer
Michael Horn	....	executive producer
Kevin Iwashina	....	executive producer
Kyle Dean Jackson	....	co-executive producer
Manoj Jain	....	executive producer
Rick Lashbrook	....	co-executive producer
Jenny Napier	....	associate producer
Chris Ouwinga	....	executive producer
Nathaniel Rollo	....	producer
Benjamin Schwartz	....	co-executive producer
Bobby Schwartz	....	executive producer
Shail Shah	....	executive producer
Eron Sheean	....	co-producer
Loreen Siemes	....	associate producer
Darryn Welch	....	producer

Original Music by
Jean-Pierre Taieb

Cinematography by
Laurent Barès

Film Editing by
Carlo Rizzo		(edited by)

Casting by
Lindsey Hayes Kroeger

Production Design by
Tony Noble

Art Direction by
Gordon Wilding

Costume Design by
Mary Hyde-Kerr

Makeup Department
Kevin Carter	....	special effects contact lenses
Jeny Cassady	....	special makeup effects coordinator
Tamara Harrod	....	key hair stylist
Steven Kostanski	....	special makeup effects artist
Lori Sandnes	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Nancy Valle	....	executive in charge of post-production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Yann Cuinet	....	first assistant director
Danielle Dumesnil	....	second assistant director
Martin Ellis	....	second second assistant director
Eron Sheean	....	second unit director

Art Department
Crystal Biloski	....	art department assistant
Bruce Cook	....	head carpenter
Jonathan Delerue	....	concept artist
Jonathan Delerue	....	storyboard artist
Jamie Lou Morneau	....	assistant property master: prep
Adam Thorburn	....	assistant property master

Sound Department
Brock Capell	....	production sound mixer
Matthieu Dallaporta	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rada Danilovic	....	sound designer
Dave Eccleston	....	foley mixer
Paul Karpinski	....	additional foley editor
Didier Lozahic	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dallas Pomedli	....	boom operator
Kevin Rittner	....	adr engineer
Mark Verner	....	foley artist
Mark Verner	....	foley editor
Gregorio Vincent	....	sound mix technician
Ryan Michael Wilson	....	additional sound designer
Chris Reynolds	....	additional re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Tim Freestone	....	special effects assistant
Simon Martineau	....	pyrotechnician
Brant McIlroy	....	special effects coordinator
Martin Testa	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Julien Aullas	....	digital artist: PLUG
Nicolas Bonnell	....	visual effects producer: PLUG
Charlotte Collings	....	DI producer
Jonathan Delerue	....	matte painter
Laurens Ehrmann	....	visual effects supervisor: PLUG
Pascal Etangsale	....	digital artist: PLUG
Rodolphe Guglielmi	....	visual effects supervisor: BR Films
Jean-Louis Kalifa	....	digital artist: PLUG
Christophe Moreau	....	digital artist: PLUG
Tom Russell	....	senior colourist
Darren Wall	....	visual effects supervisor
Julien Biard	....	assistant colourist (uncredited)

Stunts
Dustin Brooks	....	fire stunts
Tristan Carlucci	....	stunt double
Colin Decker	....	fire stunts
Andrew Degryse	....	stunt performer
Jacqueline Loewen	....	stunts
Lori MacKay	....	stunt double
Garth Merkeley	....	stunt double
Derek Poplawski	....	stunt performer
Chuck Robinson	....	stunt coordinator
Kristen Sawatzky	....	stunt double: Eva
Dan Skene	....	stunt performer
Rick Skene	....	stunt coordinator
Sean Skene	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Christopher Harvey	....	rigging
Brad Hruboska	....	Steadicam operator
Gilbert Jamault	....	best boy electric
Steven K. Johnson	....	camera trainee
Jonathan Kennedy	....	lamp operator
Burton 'Joe' Kuchera	....	gaffer
Robin Lindala	....	first assistant camera
William Mills	....	dolly grip
Chris Moone	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Chris Moone	....	first assistant camera
Cory Quinn	....	lamp operator
Rebecca Sandulak	....	gallery photographer
Ben Stouffer	....	lighting technician

Casting Department
Michael Laguens	....	casting: France
Julie Swistak	....	casting associate
Shelly Anthis	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jody Chalmers	....	costume assistant
Amanda Isaak	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Garry Maddison	....	colorist
Alan Pao	....	digital intermediate producer

Music Department
Laura Katz	....	music clearance and licensing
Yasmine Meddour	....	composer: end credit song
Andy Ross	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Jamie McLeod	....	unit driver
Dave Perich	....	transportation coordinator
Wayne Statkewich	....	driver: cast
Corey Walker	....	transportation captain
David Wharry	....	driver: cast

Other crew
Kenny Boyce	....	film commissioner: City of Winnipeg
Sophie Boyer	....	script supervisor
Tammy Byers	....	craft service
Kook Ewo	....	opening title sequence by
Helena Fleger	....	production assistant
Tim Freestone	....	armorer
Aaron Graham	....	assistant production coordinator
Jody Lewis	....	key location production assistant
Celene Miles	....	first assistant accountant
Alana Pona	....	set production assistant
Devan Towers	....	production lawyer
Rebecca Traub	....	production coordinator
Kevin Uddenberg	....	film liaison: City of Winnipeg

Thanks
Melissa George	....	very special thanks
Trace Sheehan	....	special thanks
Adam Smoluk	....	the producers wish to thank
Mennan Yapo	....	thanks (as Mennan Yappo)

Production Companies

• Instinctive Film
• Preferred Content
• BR Group (co-production)
• Julijette
• Ink Connection
• Manitoba Film & Music (produced with the support of)

Distributors

• Alliance Films (2012) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Films (2012) (USA) (theatrical)
• Aurum Producciones (2012) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2012) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Kinepolis Film Distribution (KFD) (2012) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Momentum Pictures (2012) (UK) (theatrical)
• Presidio (2012) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Bac Vidéo (2012) (France) (DVD)
• Cinemax (2012) (Russia) (all media) (CIS + Baltics)
• ContentFilm International (2011) (Non-USA) (all media)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2012) (Thailand) (all media)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2012) (Vietnam) (all media)
• Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment (2012) (UK) (DVD)
• Panorama Distributions (2013) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Panorama Distributions (2013) (Hong Kong) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2012) (Australia) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Zon Audiovisuais (2012) (Portugal) (all media)

Special Effects

• BR Group (visual effects)
• Plug Effects

Other Companies

• Canada Film Capital  tax incentive consulting services
• Cutting Edge Group  music services
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Lotus Post  ADR recording

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for disturbing strong violence and sexuality, and for pervasive language

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

Germany | USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Australia:R | Canada:18A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | South Korea:18 | Netherlands:16 | UK:18 | Ireland:18 | Canada:16+ (Québec) | Japan:R15+ | France:-12 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:R21 | Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Manitoba Production Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Company:

Instinctive Film

Trivia:

Melissa George, Seann William Scott, Robert Patrick and Raphaël Personnaz were originally going to star in this project.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Mickey asks if they ever saw what happened to the Japanese when "we dropped Little Boy on Nagasaki". The Little Boy nuclear bomb was, in fact, dropped on Hiroshima on Aug 6, 1945. Nagasaki was hit with the Fat Man bomb 3 days later.

Quotes:

Josh:What's the going rate on a bottle of water, Sancho?
Bobby:Got to be some infidelity for sure.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Inside Horror: Bloody Valentines (#1.6)" (2012)

Sheer madness

-- www.Ramascreen.com --

THE DIVIDE is dirty, disturbing, uncomfortable, and I like it! Post-apocalyptic thrillers are usually a messy business and that's what this Xavier Gens-directed film delivers. It's sheer madness, a terrifying look at society going down the drain and at humanity when it's lost its senses, of what could happen when the chips are down and fear takes over. THE DIVIDE is not for the faint of heart..

Turning a fallout shelter, a save haven and protection into a hellhole is the aim of this film. The tagline says it all, 'the lucky ones died in the blast' and so the remaining characters are not. I wasn't a fan of Gens' previous works, Hit-man was generally disappointing but that was to be expected of any video game-based movie, but THE DIVIDE goes to show that Gens may not be a lost cause after all when it comes to filmmaking. There have been movies in the past where they'd collect a number of people, lock them in one inescapable location long enough and you'd get to see who'd endure, who'd rebel, who'd break down, and who'd take charge. Give it enough time and they'll turn on each other and ask the question of 'who died and made you king?!', that's exactly THE DIVIDE's mission, when suspicions fester and morals go out the window.

Because the story is set in a basement room, the film dwells in the dark the entire time. And because of its R-rated horror approach, the characters find themselves eventually doing something that they themselves did not know they were capable of and we the audience have the options of either sticking around or looking away. Fantastic job by the cast ensemble, you've got Eva (Lauren German) who tries to remain sane and level-headed through the ordeal, and there's Marilyn (Rosanna Arquette) who suffers mental problem after the failure to protect her daughter, and then there's Delvin (Courtney B Vance) who at first may seem to be the reasonable one of the bunch, and you also have the cocky sh*theads Bobby and Josh, played by Michael Eklund and Milo Ventimiglia respectively, the shelter itself is owned by an ex-firefighter Mickey (Michael Biehn) who'd rather not share if he had the choice. The movie is a character study that's not too hard to crack but it's not an easy chew either. Right from the start of the beautifully done CG nuclear explosion, you know that it's not going to end well, because there is no way that these characters could stand each other, not with the limited resources they have and the frustration that comes from being self-imprisoned. And so the story shows how their interaction crumbles and insanity creeps in. THE DIVIDE is an excellent sci-fi horror that demands attention.

-- www.Ramascreen.com --