Solitude

Feature, 89 minutes, 2001

Solitude is an exploration of the fleeting interconnections that arise, one summer, between two women retreatants and a monk at a rural monastery. Each is looking for answers — to questions of faith and purpose, love and identity.

Starring Lothaire Bluteau and Vanessa Martinez, Solitude premiered in 2001 at the South-by-Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas, and screened at many other festivals, including the Montreal World Film Festival, the Vancouver International Film Festival, The Commonwealth Film Festival (Manchester, England), and the Cambridge Film Festival (England).

Brian D. Johnson, Macleans:

A gem… with an uncanny sensitivity to emotion, light and nature

Leighton Klein, Boston Globe:

Genuinely thought-provoking

Gene Symour, New York Newsday:

Quietly provocative

Alison Gillmor, Winnipeg Free Press:

A gentle, contemplative and blessedly quiet work

Reviews and interviews about Solitude can be found at:

Solitude — Selected Festival Screenings and Premiere Broadcasts:

  • International Festival of Cinema and History, Istanbul, Turkey, 2002
  • Cambridge Film Festival, England, 2002
  • Commonwealth Film Festival, Manchester, England, 2002
  • New Canadian Cinema, Harvard Film Archive, Boston, USA, 2002
  • Medicine Hat Film Festival, Canada, 2002
  • Film Can – Canadian Film Festival, Saskatoon, Canada, 2001
  • Vancouver International Film Festival, Vancouver, Canada, 2001
  • Montreal World Film Festival, Montreal, Quebec, Canada 2001
  • Stony Brook Film Festival, New York, USA, 2001
  • South-by-Southwest Film Festival, Austin, USA, 2001
  CREDITS
Brother Bernard Lothaire Bluteau
Michele Vanessa Martinez
Linda Wendy Anderson
Father Gregory Eugene Lipinski
Brother Peter Bill Hugli
Geraldine Louise Handford
Storekeeper Bruce McKay
Thin Man Mike O’Brien
Brother Daniel Miche Marchildon
Abbot James Fr. Demetrius Wasylyniuk OSB
Father Morris Maurey Wrubleski
Woman Graphologist #1 Cathy Fenwick
Woman Graphologist #2 Sharon Bakker
Woman Graphologist #3 Chirstine Scott
Young Guy in Truck; Trent Chekay
Young Driver in Truck; Nicholas Treeshin
Bartender George Grassick
Geraldine’s Friend Heather Hill
Librarian MaryAnn Wourms
Storekeeper’s Assistant Aaron Feser
Girl in Store Rhianna Wrubleski
Boy in Store Josh Elder
Store Patron Valerie Elder
Kitchen Staff Kimberly Cody
Yvonne Cody
Towns Person Shannon Haugerud
Monks Abbot Peter Novecosky OSB
Fr. Roman Schneider OSB
Br. Paul Paproski OSB
Br. Anthony Nguyen OSB
Br. Basil Schaan OSB
Br. Kurt Van Kuren OSB
Fr. Lawrence DeMong OSB
Br. Frank Boulet OSB
Fr. Martin Brodner OSB
Br. Gregory Brodner OSB
Br. Marcelo Gomes Costa OSB
Larry Bauman
Cliff Cody
Greg Morley
Choir Conductor Sr. Lenore Molderhauer OSU
Choir Girl Elizabeth Fradette
Choir Boy Vaughn Harris
Choir Andrew Gibbons
Victoria Anne Gibbons
Janine Peters
Anysa Marchand
Sarah Guina
Kayla Roberts
Kelsey Swarbrick
Benjamin Borne
Kaitlyn Marchand
Bailey Belchamber
Marie Dumont
Kristen Hushagen
Bar Patrons
John Vetter
Marie Vetter
Henry Zimmer
Gerand Saretsky
Marie Leroux
Mark L. Polachic
Sheila Brash
Directed by Robin Schlaht
Screenplay by Connie Gault and Robin Schlaht
Based on The Fat Lady with the Thin Face by Connie Gault
Produced by David Christensen and Robin Schlaht
Executive Producers Larry Bauman and Don Copeman
Director of Photography Patrick McLaughlin
Edited by Heather Malek
Costume Design by Sonja Clifton-Remple
Associate Producers Annmarie Lesiuk and Heather Malek
Unit Production Manager Greg Morley
First Assistant Director Trevor Cunningham
Production Designer Hugh Shankland
Art Director Danny Scavuzzo
Second Assistant Director Devin Keefe
Third Assistant Director Mary Redmond
Production Assistants Natasha Getz
Alison Rigby
Mark Bradley
Art Dept. Coordinator Christine Kleckner
On Set Dresser Skye Rolick
Art Department Assistant Tanya Maddigan
Wrangler Gwen Nelson
Assistant Costumer Joanna Vollhoffer
Seamstress Anne Back
Hair and Make-up Artist Lindi Lee
Make-up Assistant Yolanda Manitopyes
1st Assistant Camera Corey Robson
Camera Trainee Kate Counios
Gaffer Derek Waite
Key Grip Larry Geiger
Second Grip Dan Jones
Sound Mixer Pat Butler
Boom Operator Cary Ciesielski
Sound Trainee Cody Gamracy
Script Supervisor Sabrina Birrell
Craft Services Yvonne Cody
Cliff Cody
Shannon Haugerud
Transportation Captain Lorne Kurtz
Children’s Coordinator Lenore Moldenhauer
MaryAnn Wourms
Unit Publicist Melody Lindblom
Stills Photographers Darren Ell
Josh Sawka
Cal Fehr
Production Accountant Kathy James
The Director and Producers would like to thank the following for their assistance: Ingrid Christensen
Lisa Cichelly
Lynne Beck Copeman
Michael Crochetiere
George Hupka
Ron Jacobs
Dave Lawlor
Audrey Malek
Tannis Malek
Linda Payeur
Ruby Schlaht
Wayne Schlaht
Patricia Warsaba The Pioneer Hotel, Humboldt
Downstream Pictures
The Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild And
The community of
St. Peter’s Abbey, Muenster, Saskatchewan
Kodak filmstock provided by Stock Options
Production Lab – Studio Post and Transfer
Post Production Lab – Rainmaker Digital
Neg Cutting by Francont Film
Made with the financial participation of:
The Sasktachewan Filmpool Cooperative
The Saskatchewan Arts Board
The Canada Council of the Arts
CTV Saskatchewan Program Development Fund
SaskFilm
Saskatchewan Communications Network
Saskatchewan Fiilm Employment Tax Credit
Canadian Film and Video Tax Credit
Telefilm Canada Feature Film Fund