WEYBURN — A casting call has officially been announced for SK Arts’ film Evergreen, a period drama set in 1910s Saskatchewan, written and directed by filmmaker Morgan Kelly.
The film follows the story of Louise, an aspiring artist navigating the complexities of family, ambition and hostility in the office of a small-town newspaper.
The title Evergreen holds a dual meaning for Kelly.
“Because the film partially revolves around a news office, I was looking for terms that relate to news, and ‘evergreen’ refers to a story that can be used at any time and is not necessarily time-sensitive,” she said. “It also relates to the story of an artist trying to find balance between their creative aspirations and their personal life as a story that we see time and time again. I think many people will be able to relate to trying to find this balance.”
Set against the backdrop of prairie life, Evergreen explores Louise’s journey as she’s offered the chance to illustrate for the paper she works at, a rare opportunity for a woman of her time. As her sister prepares for marriage and her brother remains estranged, Louise must balance her creative aspirations with the emotional needs of those around her.
The main portion of production will take place during designated shoot dates in mid to late September in Weyburn.
“There may be some additional filming for landscapes, locations, etc., without actors on later dates,” said Kelly.
The production has access to period-appropriate décor and costumes, thanks to Kelly’s local connections in Weyburn and her personal collection.
“I have many different pieces of clothing that I regularly wear that can also be used for this production. I also have several items of my own that fit the time period that we will be using.”
Doing historical films can present a problem when it comes to accuracy, but drawing on lessons from a background in film history, Kelly said, “Because we're not existing in the time period we're portraying, we can never be ‘historically accurate,’ so that can take some of the pressure off. It's important to be realistic in what items we can access, and so I've tried to create a story that works around what we can and cannot make use of. It's challenging but a lot of fun.”
Once filming is complete, the lengthy process of editing will begin.
“I anticipate a 2026 or early 2027 release date of the film, depending on our crew schedules,” said Kelly.
Any actors interested in auditioning can email [email protected].
