Lee’s debut feature desperately seeking sex tips

• Writer/director: Sook-Yin Lee
• Producers: Trish Dolman, Kryssta Mills, Simone Urdl, Jennifer Weiss
• Production companies: Screen Siren Pictures, The Film Farm
• Key cast: Cristin Milioti, Mark Rendall, Will Sasso, Kevin McDonald,
Sheila McCarthy, Ali Liebert
• Distributor: E1 Entertainment (Canada)
• International sales: E1 Films International (outside of U.S.)
• Interprovincial copro: B.C. (80%)/Ontario (20%)
• Budget: $2 million

Well-known CBC Radio host, actor, writer and musician Sook-Yin Lee has added feature film director to her multitude of talent hats. The Toronto-based media personality’s directorial debut, Year of the Carnivore, is the opening film in the Canada First! program.

‘I am like a proud parent,’ says Lee, who has written and directed several shorts including Unlocked (2005) and Girl Cleans Sink (2004). ‘When I watch the movie, I see the phenomenal group achievement of everyone involved. That said, I may be sick from nerves and wearing adult diapers at the premiere!’

Shot in Vancouver, Year of the Carnivore is a bittersweet comedy about a young woman who has an unrequited crush on a boy who thinks she’s bad in bed, so she comes up with a rather novel way to gain more experience. Working as a grocery store detective, she gives shoplifters a choice – either teach her everything they know about sex or she will deliver them to her boss.

Vancouver producer Trish Dolman first met Lee seven years ago when she did EPK interviews on the set of Dolman’s film Flower & Garnet. Lee showed Dolman some scripts she was working on and they began developing Year of the Carnivore together.

‘I liked the script because it is so irreverent and funny and sweet at the same time,’ explains Dolman. ‘I really believed in the project and Sook-Yin – she is a real creative force.’

The film was originally developed as a whodunit, but a couple of years ago Lee changed the slant and used her own awkward coming-of-age sexual experiences as the inspiration for the story.

Dolman planned to finance the $2 million film with Telefilm Canada and B.C. Film funding, a presale to The Movie Network/Movie Central, provincial and federal tax credits and a distribution deal with E1 Films.

A remaining 20% funding gap was to be filled with financing from private investors.

‘Then the worldwide economic meltdown happened and the investors were scared away at the last minute,’ explains Dolman.

Faced with a shortfall, Dolman quickly changed financing strategies and went seeking money in Ontario. She brought on board Toronto company The Film Factory to coproduce and, by making the film an Ontario/B.C. copro, triggered Ontario Media Development Corporation funding.

‘All the producers and director had to invest some of their fees into the film,’ adds Dolman.

The script called for a summer shoot, but by the time financing was in place, it was late fall. This posed some challenges – namely shooting an outdoor pool scene in December. They did find a pool they could fill and heat.

Lee’s most memorable on-set moment came while shooting at night in the Vancouver suburb of Maple Ridge. ‘Ian, my AD, ran in and shouted at everyone to stay inside the warehouse we were shooting in because there was a gun-toting fugitive running around outside,’ the writer/director recalls.

The Toronto festival premiere will be used as the platform to launch international sales for Year of the Carnivore and begin promotion for the Canadian release.

‘TIFF audiences are keeners,’ Lee points out. ‘Hopefully they will tell two friends and so on. I feel like throwing in the cheesy quote about building it and they will come… People will take a shining to Year of the Carnivore because everyone can relate to clumsy attempts at love and sex.’

Word of mouth and critical reviews in Toronto are key for the domestic release and international sales, points out Dolman.

‘This is a first feature and it doesn’t have mega stars,’ she says.

Lee starred in the 2006 film Shortbus, which gained notoriety for its non-simulated sex scenes.

‘Although this film isn’t as graphic, it has the potential for the same kind of underground following,’ says Dolman.

But ultimately she is hoping for wide appeal, from teens through to people in their 40s.

‘We often think a film with a young protagonist appeals only to young people, but look at Juno which had a much wider audience,’ says Dolman. ‘The main character [in Carnivore] is a young woman searching to understand her sexuality and love, as well as her relationship with her parents. And it’s funny. A lot of Canadian films are so serious.’