She had been working on the project for years, and just when it seemed it was all coming together, Yorkton's Gayle Schuster says a provincial funding cut killed her dream.
Back in the 80s Schuster began working on a writing project - it was a labor of love, a story as told to by her grandparents when she was a child.
After years of research and compiling information she says she realized the story, which pertains in large part to this area, had the makings of a quality feature film.
"It's a pioneering story, a turn of the century story. It starts of down in the United States at Abe Lincoln's inauguration and it ends up in the Parkland of Saskatchewan. It's about settlement, but it's about a whole lot more. It's a love story, there's drama, adventure, there are a lot of aspects to it... it's a really good film and it highlights this area.
"I thought it could be sort of a signature story for Saskatchewan. It's a story about our province."
Not knowing quite how to go about the whole process Schuster says she began researching film projects and also got ahold of some producers - both in Saskatchewan and in Ontario. "They told me I would need a script. So I had to teach myself how to write a script. I'd never done anything like that before."
A copywriter for the local television station back in the 70s Schuster says she had some know- how, but to adapt her story to a movie script was a challenge - yet a challenge she was able to meet.
Once complete, she had two "bites" on the script. Both a Regina production company and one out of Toronto agreed to look at the possibility of producing the film which she says producers estimated would require an $8 million film budget.
That was then and this is now.
When the provincial government announced the demise of the Saskatchewan Film and Employment Tax Credit Schuster says her film career went with it.
"The project was ready to go. They were seriously looking at it and the tax cut ended it... If Saskatchewan loses this - and it looks as though we will - there will be no films made in this province. It's ending to the industry as we know it here. There will be no Corner Gas... there will be none of the shows that we have come to know and love..."
"They eliminated SCN and now this... and without that producers can't work in this province."
Presently says Schuster, every province in Canada and every state - now with the exception of Saskatchewan - has a film tax credit. "And yet this province has decided that the producers in this province can function without one."
While with each passing day she believes it may be a losing battle, Schuster says she is hoping the provincial government will have a change of heart on the matter of the tax credit.
"People are marching on the legislature steps every day... we want to get this reversed... if they don't there's no way the film industry can survive in this province."
While there is a small hope the film may get picked up outside of Saskatchewan Schuster questions, "why would an out of province producer want to pick up a film that's about Saskatchewan? They're more likely to pick one that's from their own province..."
And that puts Saskatchewan films in jeopardy she says.
"This story is about the people in this province and our stories are never going to be told..."
Not only that she says, but economically the province will suffer as a result also she believes.
"That is the other component of this whole thing. To my knowledge, Yorkton has never had a feature film shot here... when you bring that to an area... there are spin-offs. It involves tourism, it's huge... hotels, restaurants, caterers, taxis, the list goes on and on as to all the services that would be used and that's what Yorkton is going to be losing as well."
Schuster says she hopes the people of Saskatchewan will stand up and speak out to help turn the situation around. She recommends people get in touch their MLA, and even write to the premier.
"For every dollar the government puts into a film project, the province gets $6 back in return in terms of spin-offs... It's a huge thing and this is a big mistake. It's poor business."
