A fter a two-year delay, principal photography for Adam Stern’s debut sci-fi feature Levels is now underway in Winnipeg.

Levels is written, directed and produced by Vancouver-based Stern under his banner Orbital Mechanics. It is also produced by Tony Wosk of Toronto and Vancouver-based Middle Child Films and Kyle Bornais of Winnipeg’s Farpoint Films.

The film was first announced in 2020 with Mpho Koaho and Cara Gee (pictured) attached as the film’s lead actors. Koaho has since departed the film, according to producers.

Newly added to the cast are Canadian actors Peter Mooney (Burden of Truth), David Hewlett (Nightmare Alley), Aaron Abrams (Children Ruin Everything), and Adam Hurtig (Polarized), as well as British-Canadian actor Jade Ma (The Swearing Jar).

Financial support for production has been provided by Media Capital Group and Manitoba Film & Music, and the project previously received development funding from the Harold Greenberg Fund and Creative BC. The film is also the recipient of an Epic MegaGrant from Epic Games through the use of the Unreal Engine for previsualization and post-production.

London and L.A.-based sales agent AMP International is handling worldwide sales for the film, and has already secured presales with German distributor Capelight Pictures and Front Row Filmed Entertainment in the Middle East.

Executive producers on the film are AMP International’s James Norrie and Nina Kolokouri, Media Capital Group’s Ben Rappaport, as well as Ross Mrazek and Angelo Paletta.

Levels was initially scheduled to go into production in 2021. The two-year delay was attributed to actor availability, said producers. Filming is expected to wrap at the end of the month.

Gee is represented by Gary Goddard Agency’s (GGA) Kishwar Iqbal and Untitled Entertainment; Mooney is repped by GGA’s Pam Winter and A3 Artists; Hewlett is repped by Ryan Goldhar of The Characters Talent Agency; and Abrams is repped by The Characters’ Bryan Misener.

With files from Victoria Ahearn

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images