Principal photography for Red Czarina’s debut microbudget feature, H&G, started Saturday.
The film, starring newcomers Annika Irving and Breazy Diduck-Wilson, is a modern retelling of the Brothers Grimm fairytale Hansel and Gretel, in which a brother and sister who are lost in the woods find a dream home that is more dangerous than it seems.
“We only have a budget of $5000, but we have a surplus of talent with our all‐Winnipeg cast and crew,” said producer Ashley Hirt in a statement.
Rounding out the cast is Warren Ellis, announced Monday, Ashley Rebecca Moore, Tony Pourteous and Ferron Guerreiro.
The film is also being shot with a skeleton crew of six members.
Red Czarina co-founder Danishka Esterhazy will be helming the film, while fellow co-founders Rebecca Gibson, Rebecca Sandaluk and Hirt will produce.
Red Czarina opened its doors in May 2012, with the mandate to produced female-driven film, theatre and new media projects.
H&G is expected to wrap shooting Sept. 2.
Photo: Hansel and Gretel by British street artist Banksy, done originally in Oxford Street