OTTAWA, Oct. 1, 2014 /CNW/ - Award-winning Ottawa-based independent journalist/filmmaker Peter Smoczynski announced today that his film project in production "ELECTION DAY IN CANADA: When Voter Suppression Comes Calling," has launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign seeking funds to complete production across the country, and post-production in Ottawa and Toronto.
Produced and directed by Peter Smoczynski and narrated by veteran Canadian actor Jennifer Dale (Diamond Road) this film is quickly shaping up to become the landmark documentary film which examines voter suppression during the 2011 Federal Election, how it came to light, the aftermath, and inside the court trials, sheds new light on Elections Canada investigations including the agency's sudden termination of the "robocalls" investigation which further sparked citizen demands of Elections Canada to re-open the investigation, and repeal Bill C-23, the Fair Elections Act (the legislation that sparked a national furor with many critics deeming the bill legalized voter suppression and a regressive knock-off of Republican legislation).
With a touch of irony, the crowd funding launch coincides with the day that the Fair Elections Act sees Elections Canada's watchdog Commissioner Yves Cote move his office out of Elections Canada and into the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, from arm's length autonomy to direct administrative oversight by the government.
Smoczynski said of the film:
"The documentary examines the evidence. It asks the questions: Is a Canadian's constitutional right to vote protected? What went wrong during the Federal Election of 2011? What, if anything, has been done to prevent it from happening again?"
The film production continues with plans to travel the country, to investigate electoral fraud, to speak to Canadians subjected to, or witness to voter suppression.
The film already features an impressive line-up of interviewees (Thomas Mulcair, Elizabeth May, Irwin Cotler, Inky Mark, Jean-Pierre Kingsley, Stephen Maher, Glen McGregor, Garry Neil, Steven Shrybman, Frank Graves, Lawrence Martin, and others), and film and campaign websites include an insider's look at the film, with behind-the-scenes visuals and interviews.
Indiegogo crowdfunding ventures are often incentivized to garner both critical and popular support pledges to complete the production. Not so with this campaign.
"This is a very modest budget. Every penny makes a difference." says Smoczynski.
The only pledge this filmmaker's campaign makes is to produce a documentary with a timeless lesson: the value of a Canadian vote.
"It is odd, isn't it?" says Smoczynski, "here, we have historic lows at the polls, obviously because many Canadians hold the cynical belief that a single vote has little if any value. Yet, to steal an election, this film will probe, how untold millions of dollars are raised and spent on collecting voter data, developing technology and schemes towards breaking the law, in an effort to suppress a vote, and cheat to win."
Completion of the film includes:
Extensive travel for exclusive interviews in the worst hit robo-called ridings in Ontario, Atlantic Canada and British Columbia.
Expand Director's and film crew time to 60 hours/week (travel inclusive)
Complete shooting, final cut editing, DVDs, transcript preparation, screening tour preparation and travel (etc.)
Smoczynski anticipates the completed film will be released in early 2015 to permit it to storm the spring-summer film festivals and be picked up by commercial distributors.
"This documentary deals in facts not conspiracy theories." concludes Smoczynski.
"Election Day In Canada: When Voter Suppression Comes Calling" is seeking $198,000 for completion and release.
Links and Information:
INDIEGOGO CAMPAIGN SITE: http://igg.me/at/EDayFilm
WEBSITE: www.thescriptfilmco.com
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/EDayFilm
AND www.facebook.com/TheScriptFilmCo
TWITTER: @EDayFilm
Video with caption: "Video: The Script & Film Co.". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20141001_C1180_VIDEO_EN_6203.mp4&posterurl=http%3A%2F%2Fphotos.newswire.ca%2Fimages%2F20141001_C1180_VIDEO_EN_6203.jpg&order=1&jdd=20141001&cnum=C1180
SOURCE: The Script & Film Co.
Peter Smoczynski (Ottawa), (613) 322-7664
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