Manitoba-based production company Eagle Vision today heads into production on a new feature film from writer/director Deco Dawson.

Diaspora, the debut feature from acclaimed short filmmaker Dawson (pictured right), tells the story of a young Ukrainian immigrant (played by Yulia Guzhva) who arrives in Winnipeg’s North End in search of a better life. The film is voiced in 50 languages and contains no subtitles.

Dawson established himself as a filmmaker to watch in the early 2000s, with a string of shorts that drew international attention. Among them, Film(dzama), which won the best short film award at TIFF in 2001. After directing and producing a number of shorts between 1998 and 2011, Dawson stepped away from filmmaking for a number of years to pursue projects outside the industry. Diaspora represents his return to filmmaking and his first project for more than seven years.

The film shoots in Winnipeg until Aug. 6 and is funded by Eagle Vision, Telefilm and Manitoba Film and Music. Domestic and international rights for the project are open. Eagle Vision’s Kyle Irving told Playback Daily the budget for the project is less than $2.5 million.

Producers on the project are Irving, Rebecca Gibson and Hannah Johnson, with Eagle Vision’s Lisa Meeches serving as executive producer.

Diaspora is the latest project on a packed summer slate for Eagle Vision. The prodco is headed into production on season three of the CBC hour-long drama Burden of Truth (produced by ICF Films, eOne and Eagle Vision) in August. Later in the year, the company is also producing Night Raiders, directed by Danis Goulet, alongside Alcina Pictures. Last week CBC announced that Night Raiders was among three projects to receive funding through the CBC Films banner.

Eagle Vision’s feature production credits include Lovesick, Reasonable Doubt and We Were Children.

Pictured left to right in second image: Rebecca Gibson, Kyle Irving, Lisa Meeches.