Montreal – Filmmaker Joshua Dorsey has gathered 30 youths, between the ages 12 and 19, to appear in his latest film, The Point, which shoots until late September.

Set in the multiracial Montreal neighborhood of Pointe-St-Charles, the reality-based feature draws on the youths’ own experiences as they come of age in a downtown urban environment – dealing with issues including violence, spirituality, sexuality, drugs and family.

Dorsey is in familiar territory – his first feature, One Day, also used a cast of nonprofessional actors who created a gritty and realistic drama. The film gained considerable positive press attention and was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize at the Slamdance Film Festival in 2003.

Coproduced by Silo Productions and the National Film Board, the $1-million Point marks the NFB’s reentry into dramatic feature storytelling. It abandoned drama amid budget troubles in the late ’90s.

‘We are thrilled to be a partner with Joshua and Silo Productions on this innovative project,’ says Sally Bochner, executive producer for the NFB’s Quebec Centre.

‘The filmmakers are totally dedicated to working with young people and encouraging them to tell their own stories and reflect their own lives in their community. The Point is a perfect fit for the NFB and our goal of supporting innovation and social engagement, and working with a new generation of filmmakers.’

The script came about when screenwriters Dorsey, Owen Coughlan, Alyssa Kuzmarov and Melissa Malkin workshopped with the cast. The Point is slated for release in 2006 and will be distributed by Montreal’s Seville Pictures and the NFB. Matthew Hays