The Animal Project (2013)

As a thirty something acting teacher attempts to push a group of eager young performers out of their comfort zones, he struggles with his own ability to live an authentic and fulfilling life with his teenage son.

Director:

Ingrid Veninger

Writer:

Ingrid Veninger

Stars:

Aaron Poole, Hannah Cheesman, Johnathan Sousa

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Aaron Poole	...	Leo
Hannah Cheesman	...	Alice
Johnathan Sousa	...	Jason
Sarena Parmar	...	Mira
Emmanuel Kabongo	...	Ray
Jessica Greco	...	Pippa
Joey Klein	...	Saul
Jacob Switzer	...	Sam
Dennie Foster	...	Uncle Issac
Joanne Vannicola	...	Morag
Noah Davis	...	Nathan
Lindsay Owen Pierre	...	Matteo
Kate Corbett	...	Rosie
PJ Lazic	...	Pervert Man

Storyline

In Toronto, Leo, a single father to seventeen year old Sam, is an actor and theater director, he currently teaching an acting class/heading an acting troupe consisting of six students/friends: Alice, Jason, Mira, Pippa, Ray and Saul. After three months together as group of misfits as he calls them, Leo approaches them with an idea stemming from a dream he had: rather than mount a traditional play, they individually or in small groups would walk around the city wearing animal costumes, akin to animal mascot costumes, to see how they interact with people and in turn how people who have no idea what they are doing react to them. It is a broader representation of a video project Leo conducted with Sam when Sam was eight, Sam dressed in a rabbit costume giving away free hugs, which he could do having been in an animal costume instead of being a human with suspect motives giving away those hugs. Leo gets a somewhat cool if not hostile reaction from the six as a collective, some who just ...

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Plot Keywords:

f rated | gay kiss | theatre | ensemble film | dream | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Métropole Films [Canada]

Country:

Canada

Language:

English French

Release Date:

11 September 2013 (Canada)

Also Known As:

This Is an Exercise

Company Credits

Production Co:

pUNK FILMS

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

User Reviews

Beautiful ensemble film

What an extraordinarily fun, poignant and thoughtful work of art. Beautiful writing, photography, editing, sound design, music and (of course) costumes. Also, best ensemble cast in any English Canadian film, ever. Veninger is continuing to grow and fulfill her potential as an indie filmmaker by leaps and bounds on every project. Ironically, with this film she does it by staying close to home and telling a story about people in the city she knows best. Which leads to one of the most compellingly human depictions I think has been made of Toronto – in any art form. Anybody would be lucky to make a film like this once in their career... but I wouldn't be surprised if Veninger and her collaborators on this film end up making it a habit.

A film to watch, and watch again.